Fagin and the Gang Plot Oliver's Recapture

Back in Fagin's den, the Dodger and Charley Bates report Oliver's capture. Fagin is furious and terrified that Oliver might betray them. He and the brutal housebreaker Bill Sikes discuss the need to recapture Oliver to prevent him from 'peaching.' They decide to use Nancy, Sikes's companion, to find out what has happened to Oliver. Nancy, despite her loyalty to the gang, shows the first signs of reluctance. This plot sets the stage for Oliver's inevitable return to the criminal underworld.