and the time glided on till there were the sounds of feet
heard in the yard, and directly after Mike, looking very red-eyed and
flushed, entered the office, half pushed in by Jem Wimble and a
hard-faced ugly man, who had a peculiar chip out of, or dent in, his
nose.

"Morn', master," said Mike, boisterously. "Couldn't yer get on without
yer best man i' th' yard?"

"Silence, sir!" cried Uncle Josiah, turning round, and glaring
magisterially at the culprit.

"Take yer hat off, can't yer?" cried Jem, knocking it off for him, and
then picking it up and handing it.

"Give man time, Jem Wimble," said Mike, with a grimace. "Want to pay me
what you owes me, master?"

"Hold your tongue, sir! And listen. Constable, a sum of money has been
abstracted from my desk, and this man, who I believe was penniless two
days ago, is now staying away from his work treating his friends."

"Steady, master; on'y having a glass."

"He was paying for ale with a guinea when I fetched him out, sir," said
the constable. "Now, Mike, you're wanted for another ugly job, so you
may as well clear yourself of this if you can."

"What yer mean with your ugly job?" said the man, laughing.

"You'll know soon enough; you and four more are in trouble. Now then,
what money have you got on you?"

"None 'tall."

"Out with it."

"Well, only two o' these. I did have three," grumbled the man,
reluctantly taking out a couple of guineas from his pocket.

"Looks bad, sir," said the constable. "Now then, where did you get
them?"

"What's that to you?"

"Enough for Mr Christmas to charge you with robbing his desk, my lad;
and this and what I've got against you will send you to Botany Bay."

"What, me? Rob a good master? Not a penny."

"What have you done with the rest?" continued the constable.

"Never had no more, and wouldn't have had that if I'd knowed."

"This will do, sir," said the constable. "You charge him here with
stealing money from your desk?"

"I am afraid I must," said Uncle Josiah.

"What, me? Charge me?" cried the man, angrily.

"Yes, Bannock, reluctantly; but it seems that you are the thief."

"No: not me!" cried the man, fiercely. "It warn't me. It was him."

Don started and turned pale, as the man stood pointing at him.

"What do you mean?" cried Uncle Josiah.

"Mean? Why, I ketched him a-helping hisself to the money, and he give
me three guineas to hold my tongue."

"What?"

"And when I wouldn't take