Page:Marriott Watson--Galloping Dick.djvu/187

 farce, but, whatever it be, I must interfere with your amusement for a moment, and ask you to arrest this man in the King’s name.”

His worship stared, and then laughed a little. “O!” says he, “that’s it, is it?”

Grubbe turned on him. “This man,” he said, speaking in his harshest voice, “though the Devil, his father, knows how he comes here, was the chief of the gang that attacked and robbed the stage, as I have informed you.”

He said it so firmly, and with such an appearance of authority, that his worship looked staggered, and said nothing. It was time for me to put in my famble, if I was to keep my post; and “Ah!” says I, very sarcastic, “and ’tis a brave bold tongue you ply for a common cut-throat. You have it all pat, as one would say. And perhaps you could swear to ’em all in a court of justice? No one better! And I suppose, my fine fellow, ’tis me that’s this same Dick Ryder, and ’tis you as had charge of His Majesty’s treasure.”

Timothy Grubbe looked at me, with lowered brows, out of his little red eyes. “I don’t