'Look out, Ike,' said Urb, 'you'll throttle the joker--and I see at
wunst 'e was wuth 'is weight in flimsies.'00
'Hearken, O Eikonoclastes, despiser of sacred images--and thou,
Urbanus, dweller in the sordid city. Forbear this adventure lest
a worse thing befall.'
'Luv' us!' said Ike, 'ain't it been taught its schoolin' just!'
'Restore me to my young acolytes and escape unscathed. Retain
me--and--'
'They must ha' got all this up, case the Polly got pinched,' said
Ike. 'Lor' lumme, the artfulness of them young uns!'
'I say, slosh 'em in the geseech and get clear off with the swag's
wot I say,' urged Herbert.
'Right O,' said Isaac.
'Forbear,' repeated the Phoenix, sternly. 'Who pinched the click
off of the old bloke in Aldermanbury?' it added, in a changed tone.
'Who sneaked the nose-rag out of the young gell's 'and in Bell
Court? Who--'
'Stow it,' said Ike. 'You! ugh! yah!--leave go of me. Bash him
off, Urb; 'e'll have my bloomin' eyes outer my ed.'
There were howls, a scuffle, a flutter; Ike and Urb fled up the
stairs, and the Phoenix swept out through the doorway. The
children followed and the Phoenix settled on Robert, 'like a
butterfly on a rose,' as Anthea said afterwards, and wriggled into
the breast of his Norfolk jacket, 'like an eel into mud,' as Cyril
later said.
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