They are first greeted by Barney, who was last seen as a waiter in the Saffron Hill dive. Within, they find a rather gaudy individual, the illustrious Toby Crackit. When food and drink are produced, Oliver is forced, over his protests, to swallow half a glass of wine. The men then compose themselves for a nap.
At half past one, all arise and Barney assists Toby and Bill in equipping themselves. With Oliver between them, they plunge out into the cold, foggy gloom. The party cross a bridge and then walk directly through Chertsey. A stone wall is scaled, and they cautiously approach a house.
Oliver suddenly understands what Sikes has plotted, and he becomes "well-nigh mad with grief and terror." He is near collapse; breaking silence, he desperately begs Sikes to liberate him. The vicious felon cocks his pistol, but Toby intervenes and quiets the hysterical boy.
When Sikes expertly removes the shutter and lattice from a narrow window in the back of the house, Oliver is instructed that he is to go through the passage and unlock the street door for the thieves. The boy is hoisted into the house and, once inside, he decides to rush up the stairs to alarm the occupants.
Sikes releases his grip on Oliver's collar; the next moment, the man is shouting loudly, "Come back!" Oliver catches sight of two figures at the top of the stairs as he is panicked by "a flash — a loud noise — a smoke — a crash." Sikes fires and drags the boy out of the house.
Pandemonium breaks loose as the two burglars retreat with the bleeding youngster. As he is swiftly carried away, Oliver loses consciousness.
