et that there door, Polly," he said in a low harsh growl, like
the snarl of a wild beast. Then to me:

"Here, what d'yer mean a-comin' in here, eh?"

He accompanied his words with a fierce shake that made the back of my
head tap against the wall.

For a few moments the man's savage look seemed to fascinate me, and I
felt horribly alarmed, as I could think for the moment about nothing but
the Ogre and Hop-o'-my-thumb, and wonder whether he was going to take
out a big knife and threaten me. I was still panting and breathless
with my exertions, and there was a curious pain in my legs, mingled with
a sensation as if they were going to double up under me, but I made an
effort to be brave as the great heavy-browed scoundrel gave me another
shake, and said:--

"D'yer hear? What d'yer mean by banging into my room like that 'ere?"

I glanced at a sad-faced dull-eyed slatternly woman who had closed the
door, and then at the boy, who still crouched close up under the window,
whimpering like a whipped dog, but keenly watching all that was going on
with his sharp restless dark eyes; then, making a determined attempt to
be braver than I looked, I said as stoutly as I could:

"I want our new rope. He stole our new rope."

"Who stole yer noo rope!" cried the fellow, giving me another shake;
"what d'yer mean?"

"He took our rope off the cart in Covent Garden this morning," I cried,
feeling angry now.

"Why, he ain't been out o' the court this morning," said the fellow
sharply; "have yer, Micky?"

"No, father," said the boy.

"Jest up, ain't he, missus?" continued my captor, turning to the
heavy-eyed woman.

"Yes, just up," said the woman in a low mechanical voice, and then with
more animation, "Let him go, Ned."

"You mind yer own business," said the fellow savagely; then to me, "Now,
then, d'yer hear that?"

"I don't care; he did," I said firmly. "He stole our rope--that's it,
you give it me directly."

"What! that?" he cried. "You're a nice un, you are. Why, that's my
rope, as 'longs to my donnerkey-cart. Don't you come lying here."

"I tell you that's our rope, and I saw him steal it," I cried, growing
stronger now. "You let me go, and give me my rope, or I'll tell the
police."

"Why, you never had no rope, yer young liar!" he cried.

"It's my master's rope," I said, struggling to get free. "I will have
it."

"What! yer'd steal it, would yer? Yer'd tell the polliss, would yer!"
growled the fellow,