"
And then the lady what had chosen the three ha'porth so careful,
she said: "Lor, Mrs Wigson, I wonder at you, and your hands all
over suds. This good gentleman'll slip it into the post for yer,
I'll be bound, seeing I'm a customer of his." So they give me the
letter, and of course I read the direction what was written on it
afore I shoved it into the post. And then when I'd sold my
barrowful, I was a-goin' 'ome with the chink in my pocket, and I'm
blowed if some bloomin' thievin' beggar didn't nick the lot whilst
I was just a-wettin' of my whistle, for callin' of oranges is dry
work. Nicked the bloomin' lot 'e did--and me with not a farden to
take 'ome to my brother and his missus.'
'How awful!' said Anthea, with much sympathy.
'Horful indeed, miss, I believe yer,' the burglar rejoined, with
deep feeling. 'You don't know her temper when she's roused. An'
I'm sure I 'ope you never may, neither. And I'd 'ad all my oranges
off of 'em. So it came back to me what was wrote on the
ongverlope, and I says to myself, "Why not, seein' as I've been
done myself, and if they keeps two slaveys there must be some
pickings?" An' so 'ere I am. But them cats, they've brought me
back to the ways of honestness. Never no more.'
'Look here,' said Cyril, 'these cats are very valuable--very
indeed.
Pages:
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194