Page:A Child of the Jago - Arthur Morrison.djvu/148

 —which means a protector or a bully, as you please to regard it—on a race-course adventure involving bodily risk. On this occasion Josh had earned his wages with hard knocks, given and taken, and his employer had conceived a high and a thankful opinion of his capacity. Wherefore he listened now to the tale of the coming fight, and agreed to provide something in the way of stakes, and to put something "on" for Josh himself: looking for his own profit to the bets he might make at favourable odds with his friends. For Billy Leary was notorious as being near prime ruffian of the Jago, while Josh's reputation was neither so evil nor so wide. And so it was settled, and Josh came pleased to his tea; for assuredly Billy Leary would have no difficulty in finding another notable of the High Mob to cover the stakes.

Dicky was at home, sitting by Looey on the bed, and when he called his father