Page:A Child of the Jago - Arthur Morrison.djvu/127

 amid the intricacies of Dicky's jacket. Dicky was fast, but the boy was little slower, and was, moreover, bigger, and stronger on his legs. Dicky reached the other pavement and turned the next corner into Widegate Street, the pursuer scarce ten yards behind. It was now that Dicky first experienced "hot beef"—which is the Jago idiom denoting the plight of one harried by the cry "Stop thief!" Down Widegate Street, across Sandys Row and into Raven Row he ran his best, clutching the hem of his jacket and the music-box that lay within. Crossing Sandys Row a loafing lad shouldered against the shop-boy, and Dicky was grateful, for he made it a gain of several yards.

But others had joined in the hunt, and Dicky for the first time began to fear. This was a bad day—twice already he had been chased; and now—it was bad. He thought little more, for a stunning