Klay
came out in what he called his property. Ah, and he done it well! He'd
washed his face in walnut juice, and his hands too. There he was in his
white bed-gown and scarlet puggaree turban thing, and round his waist
he'd got on a yellow leathern belt all dekkyrated with gold and buckled
on with three great green glass ornaments that twinkled in the sun like
hooray."

Singh started, his lips dropped apart, and he made a snatch at Glyn's
wrist just as his companion clutched him by the arm, and the lads stood
gazing into each other's eyes.

"Yes, gents, I tell you he looked fine, and it would have done your
hearts good to see him. That there idea of his put steady vittles into
his mouth and a few shillings a week into his pockets; but it always
puzzled me why, him being so hard-up, he hadn't tried to sell that there
belt. I said so to him one day, but he only gave a curious kind of grin
and said he should have done so, but nobody would buy it, for it wasn't
real. Well, of course I never supposed it was, being a theaytrical kind
of property. Still, I don't suppose it was made for less than a
five-pun note. Well, gentlemen," cried Ramball, rising slowly and
giving his head a final dab, "I must be off. I go back to Brummagem
again this afternoon, and all the better for seeing you two gents; so if
you will shake hands, your sarvint to command, Titus Ramball, of the
Imperial Wide World Menagerie."

The two lads shook hands heartily, but they were too full of thought to
say much; and as the visitor went in one direction, they slipped over
the palings and sat down with their backs against the fence to have a
good long talk, for Fate seemed to have provided them with a subject
upon which they could discourse; and it was this:

There was the criminal, almost within touch, for they had only to give
notice to the police and the Professor would be lodged in jail for
theft.

"And what then?" said Singh slowly. "I wouldn't have that belt again if
it were brought to me. And what was it your father said about the
Professor being punished?"

"Oh! about the punishment coming when he found that he had made himself
a thief to get something that was not worth the pains."

"Yes," said Singh, "but not in those words. Then we don't want to
punish the miserable cheat any more."

"And do harm to droll old Ramball," said Glyn. "My word, though, I
should almost like to go to Birmingham and suddenly come upon the
Professor ri