Page:A Child of the Jago - Arthur Morrison.djvu/87

 an hour before with Tommy Rann.

"But it's awright, bless yer," Mr. Weech went on presently. "Nobody's none the wuss for me knowin' about 'em. . . . Well, we was a-talkin' about the watch, wasn't we? All you got, after sich a lot o' trouble, was a woppin' with a belt. That was too bad." Mr. Weech's voice was piteous and sympathetic. "After you a-findin' sich a nice watch—a red 'un an' all—you gits nothink for yerself but a beltin'. Never mind; you'll do better next time—I'll take care o' that. I don't like to see a clever boy put upon. You go an' find another, or somethink else—any think good—and then you bring it 'ere."

Mr. Weech's friendly sympathy extinguished Dicky's doubt. "I didn't find it," he said, shy but proud. "It was a click—I sneaked it."

"Eh?" ejaculated Mr. Weech, a