Page:Ballantyne--The Battery and the Boiler.djvu/307

 Evidently the drowning plan had been abandoned for something else—something that caused him to frown, then to smile, then to grow slightly pale, and then to laugh somewhat theatrically. While in this mood he was suddenly pushed to one side by some one who said—

The track 's made for walkin' on, not standin', young— Hallo!"

It was Slagg who had thus roughly encountered his mate.

"Why, Stumps, what 's the matter with you?"

"Nothing."

"Where 'ave you bin to?"

"Nowhere."

"Who 's bin afrightenin' of you?"

"Nobody."

"Nothin', nowhere, an' nobody," repeated his friend; "that 's what I calls a coorious combination for a man who 's as white as a sheet one moment, and as red as a turkey-cock the next."

"Well, Slagg," said Stumps, recovering himself a little, "the fact is, I've been taken in and robbed."

Hereupon he related all the circumstances of his late adventure to his astonished and disgusted comrade, who asserted roundly that he was a big booby, quite unfit to take care of himself.

"Hows'ever, we must do the best we can for you " he continued, "so come along to the police-office."