In Ch.8 of Book III "Philosophical," Mr.Gradgrind learns to his shock and horror that it was his own son Tom who has robbed Mr.Bounderby's bank. Currently Tom is hiding in Sleary's circus disguised as a clown. Bitzer, the clerk in Bounderby's bank catches hold of Tom and threatens to expose him and have him arrested. All the pleas of Mr.Gradgrind to Bitzer to release his guilty son yield no result. However, Sleary double crosses Bitzer who with the help of his horse and clever dog helps Tom to escape in the following manner:
"I’ll drive your thon and thith young man over to the rail, and prevent expothure here. I can’t conthent to do more, but I’ll do that.’"
Sleary's dog keeps a close watch over Bitzer by constantly barking at him while Tom escapes from his clutches and jumps onto Sleary's pony-gig which takes him to the harbour from where he boards a ship and escapes:
"It’ll be a dark night; I’ve got a horthe that’ll do anything but thpeak; I’ve got a pony that’ll go fifteen mile an hour with Childerth driving of him; I’ve got a dog that’ll keep a man to one plathe four-and-twenty hourth. Get a word with the young Thquire. Tell him, when he theeth our horthe begin to danthe, not to be afraid of being thpilt, but to look out for a pony-gig coming up. Tell him, when he theeth that gig clothe by, to jump down, and it’ll take him off at a rattling pathe. If my dog leth thith young man thtir a peg on foot, I give him leave to go. And if my horthe ever thtirth from that thpot where he beginth a danthing, till the morning — I don’t know him? — Tharp’th the word!’"
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