llin' you, Teddy," said the old man. "It was the stoppin' of
business come next. Suddenly there didn't seem to be any money. There
was cheques--they was a bit of paper written on, and they was jes' as
good as money--jes' as good if they come from customers you knew. Then
all of a sudden they wasn't. I was left with three of 'em and two I'd
given' change. Then it got about that five-pun' notes were no good,
and then the silver sort of went off. Gold you 'couldn't get for love
or--anything. The banks in London 'ad got it, and the banks was all
smashed up. Everybody went bankrup'. Everybody was thrown out of work.
Everybody!"

He paused, and scrutinised his hearer. The small boy's intelligent face
expressed hopeless perplexity.

"That's 'ow it 'appened," said old Tom. He sought for some means of
expression. "It was like stoppin' a clock," he said. "Things were quiet
for a bit, deadly quiet, except for the air-ships fighting about in the
sky, and then people begun to get excited. I remember my lars' customer,
the very lars' customer that ever I 'ad. He was a Mr. Moses Gluckstein,
a city gent and very pleasant and fond of sparrowgrass and chokes, and
'e cut in--there 'adn't been no customers for days--and began to
talk very fast, offerin' me for anything I 'ad, anything, petaties or
anything, its weight in gold. 'E said it was a little speculation 'e
wanted to try. 'E said it was a sort of bet reely, and very likely
'e'd lose; but never mind that, 'e wanted to try. 'E always 'ad been a
gambler, 'e said. 'E said I'd only got to weigh it out and 'e'd give me
'is cheque right away. Well, that led to a bit of a argument, perfect
respectful it was, but a argument about whether a cheque was still good,
and while 'e was explaining there come by a lot of these here unemployed
with a great banner they 'ad for every one to read--every one could
read those days--'We want Food.' Three or four of 'em suddenly turns and
comes into my shop.

"'Got any food?' says one.

"'No,' I says, 'not to sell. I wish I 'ad. But if I 'ad, I'm afraid I
couldn't let you have it. This gent, 'e's been offerin' me--'

"Mr. Gluckstein 'e tried to stop me, but it was too late.

"'What's 'e been offerin' you?' says a great big chap with a 'atchet;
'what's 'e been offerin you?' I 'ad to tell.

"'Boys,' 'e said, ''ere's another feenancier!' and they took 'im out
there and then, and 'ung 'im on a lam'pose down the street. 'E never
lifted a finger to resist