ll I know he might have annihilated me, but at that moment arose a
cry of "Police!" at the sound of which the crowd dispersed like beetles
before a candle, my antagonist being among the first to go, leaving me
and Billy alone on the scene, from which even the tipsy woman had
vanished.

It was not till the coast was all clear that Billy deposited his box or
noticed my presence. The exciting scene which was just over seemed in
no way to have disturbed the young gentleman's equanimity. He favoured
me with one of his most affable grins and saluted me with one of his
habitual somersaults as he said, "Shine 'e boots, master? T'other bloke
he was 'ere at ten past seving."

"Hadn't you better go somewhere else?" I said. "Your mother will be
back after you."

"Well," said Billy, in his usual touchy way, "she ain't no concern of
yourn."

"Aren't you afraid of her hurting you?"

"'Urting me!" cried the boy, in tones of the utmost contempt, as if he
had not been half-murdered once a week for the last eight years. "No
fear! Ain't you funny? But she ain't a-going to collar this 'ere
choker; not if I knows it!" said he, taking off his new article of
decoration with a flourish and holding it up.

The well-worn and used-up necktie did not certainly look worth the
battle that had been waged over it.

"Why are you so particular about this?" I asked, half guessing
beforehand what the reply would be.

"Pertikler!" he cried, "why, that there bloke give me this 'ere!"

Nothing evidently could have been more conclusive to Billy's mind. I
felt almost jealous to find how much truer Jack's new friend was than
his old one.

"Was he here long this evening?" I asked, presently.

"Yaas; he was jawing nigh on half a' hour, he was, while I gi'en him a
shine. But, bless you, them boots of his is pretty nigh 'andy wore out,
and I tell him so. `Never mind, Billy,' says he; `I'll be getting a new
pair soon when I've got the money saved,' says he. `I mean to get a
good strong pair,' says he, `double-soled and plates on the 'eels, my
boy,' he says, `and you shall polish them up every night for me.' `That
I _will_,' says I. Bless you, governor, that there bloke'll 'ave the
shiniest pair of boots in town."

It was a sight to see the little grimy face glow as he expatiated on the
grateful theme.

"I suppose he didn't--did he say anything about me?" I asked,
hesitatingly.

"Yaas," said Billy. "Says I to him, `So t'other bloke