distinct, outside, asking
for Henery Walker. Then the door opened, and Bob Pretty, carrying his
'ead very 'igh, walked into the room.

"Where's Henery Walker?" he ses, in a loud voice.

[Illustration: "'Where's Henery Walker?' he ses, in a loud voice."]

Henery Walker put down the empty mug wot he'd been pretending to drink
out of and tried to smile at 'im.

"Halloa, Bob!" he ses.

"What was you doing in my 'ouse?" ses Bob Pretty, very severe.

"I--I just looked in to see whether you was in, Bob," ses Henery.

"That's why you was found under my bed, I s'pose?" ses Bob Pretty.
"I want a straight answer, Henery Walker, and I mean to 'ave it, else I'm
going off to Cudford for Policeman White."

"I went there to get that hamper," ses Henery Walker, plucking up spirit.
"You won it unfair last night, and we determined for to get it back. So
now you know."

"I call on all of you to witness that," ses Bob, looking round. "Henery
Walker went into my 'ouse to steal my hamper. He ses so, and it wasn't
'is fault he couldn't find it. I'm a pore man and I can't afford such
things; I sold it this morning, a bargain, for thirty bob."

"Well, then there's no call to make a fuss over it, Bob," ses Bill
Chambers.

"I sold it for thirty bob," ses Bob Pretty, "and when I went out this
evening I left the money on my bedroom mantelpiece--one pound, two
arf-crowns, two two-shilling pieces, and two sixpences. My wife and
her sister both saw it there. That they'll swear to."

"Well, wot about it?" ses Sam Jones, staring at 'im.

"Arter my pore wife 'ad begged and prayed Henery Walker on 'er bended
knees to spare 'er life and go," ses Bob Pretty, "she looked at the
mantel-piece and found the money 'ad disappeared."

Henery Walker got up all white and shaking and flung 'is arms about,
trying to get 'is breath.

"Do you mean to say I stole it?" he ses, at last.

"O' course I do," ses Bob Pretty. "Why, you said yourself afore these
witnesses and Mr. Smith that you came to steal the hamper. Wot's the
difference between stealing the hamper and the money I sold it for?"

Henery Walker tried for to answer 'im, but he couldn't speak a word.

"I left my pore wife with 'er apron over her 'ead sobbing as if her 'art
would break," ses Bob Pretty; "not because o' the loss of the money so
much, but to think of Henery Walker doing such a thing--and 'aving to go
to jail for it."

"I never touched your money, and you know it," s