Joe should be in the line.

"Why, bless your eyes," said that gentleman, "you don't suppose I gets
my livelihood out of the shed down stairs, nor the pigeons neither. You
see, these things are only dodges. If I lived here like a
gentleman--that is to say, without a occupation--the p'lese would soon
be down upon me. They'd be obleeged to take notice on me. As it is, I
comes the respectable tradesman, who's above suspicion--and the pigeons
helps on the business wonderful."

"How is that?"

"Why, I keeps my materials--the pewter, and all that--on the roof, in
order to be out o' the way, in case of a surprise. If I was often seed
upon the roof, a-looking after such-like matters, inquisitive eyes would
be on the look out. The pigeons is a capital blind. I'm believed to be
devoted to my pigeons, out o' which I takes care it should be thought I
makes a little fortun--and that makes a man respected. As for the pigeon
and coal and 'tatur business, them's dodges. Gives a opportoonity of
bringing in queer-looking sackfuls o' things, which otherwise would
compel the _'spots'_--as we calls the p'lese--to come down on us."

"Compel them!--but surely they come down whenever they've a suspicion?"

"You needn't a' told me he was green," said Mr. Joe to his elder
acquaintance, as he glanced at the youth with an air of pity. "In the
first place, we takes care to keep the vork-shop almost impregnable; so
that, if they attempts a surprise, we has lots o' time to get the things
out o' the way. In the next, if it comes to the scratch--which is a
matter of almost life and death to us--we stands no nonsense."

Mr. Joe pointed to an iron crowbar, which stood in the chimney-corner.

"I ses nothing to criminate friends, you know," he added significantly
to Mr. Bethnal, "but _you_ remember wot Sergeant Higsley got?"

Mr. Bethnal nodded assent, and Mr. Joe volunteered for the benefit and
instruction of Edward an account of the demise and funeral of the late
Mr. Sergeant Higsley. That official having been promoted, was ambitious
of being designated, in the newspapers, "active and intelligent," and
gave information against a gang of coiners; "Wot wos the consequence?"
continued the narrator. "Somehow or another, that p'leseman was never
more heered on. One fine night he went on his beat; he didn't show at
the next muster; and it was s'posed he'd bolted. Every inquiry was made,
and the 'mysterious disappearance of a p'leseman,' got into the
no