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36 the change intact. When each boy was supplied with two articles of hardware, Stranleigh said:

"There, my lads, you are much more honest than you thought. Now, haven't you any friends who'd like a knife? There is still some money left. Well, scatter, and bring your chums here; and if any of you remember something else needful, you've only to speak up. Between us we'll stimulate trade in this district."

Within ten minutes Stranleigh's following had that of the Pied Piper in a hopeless minority. London is a bigger place than Hamelin.

"Now, my lads, we must organise this demonstration," cried Stranleigh, seeing that he had taken on rather a bigger contract than he had bargained for. "If we collect on the street in front of the shop, the police will make us move on, and very likely read the Riot Act to us, so you must marshal yourselves here under the trees. You," he said to the boy who had got the first knife, "will divide this army into companies of twelve. Any boy who disobeys you doesn't get a knife. I shall go across to the shop and see if there is enough cutlery to go round. Should there not be a sufficient supply, those who are left out in the cold will receive an order, on presenting which they will get a knife to-morrow. And now, my lad, as soon as you have your army arranged in regiments of twelve, send your orderly across to the shop to tell