Page:While the Billy Boils, 1913.djvu/331

 girl, something that looked like a pressed flower and, of course, a lock of hair. Presently Bogg folded his arms over these things, and his face sank lower and lower, till nothing was visible to the unsuspected watcher except the drunkard's rough, shaggy hair; rougher and wilder looking in the uncertain light of the slush lamp.

The larrikin turned away, and beckoned his comrades to follow him.

'Wot is it?' asked one, when they had gone some distance.

The leader said, 'We're a-goin' ter let 'im alone; that's wot it is.'

There was some demur over this, and an explanation was demanded; but the boss bully unbuttoned his coat, and spit on his hands, and said:―

'We're a-goin' ter let Bogg alone; that's wot it is.'

So they went away and let Bogg alone that night.

A few days later the following paragraph appeared in the Geebung Times:―''A well-known character named Bogg was found drowned in the river on Sunday last, his hat and coat being found on the bank. At a late hour on Saturday night a member of our staff saw a man walking slowly along the river bank, but it was too dark to identify the person.''

We suppose it was Bogg whom the Times reported, but of course we cannot be sure. The chances are that it was Bogg. It was pretty evident that he had committed suicide, and, being a 'well-known character,' no doubt he had reasons for his rash act. Perhaps he was walking by himself in the dark along the river