ot a hundredth part of the intelligent cuteness of Lord Chief Justice
Jervis.

Two of this gang were standing near me, and I heard one of them say to
the other,--

"Joey, how would you like to play blind hookey with that ---- old
devil?"

"O my G----!" exclaimed Joey.

The prisoners were convicted principally upon the evidence of the Lord
Chief Justice, and sentenced to long terms of imprisonment. My client
Johnny got away. He read about Jervis and this trial in the papers,
and declared he would sooner abandon his profession than be tried by
such an old thief. "Why," said he, "that old bloke knows every trick
on the board."

His escape was rather interesting. He came into Lewes fully intending
to take his trial, and went out of Lewes with the determination not
to be tried at those assizes, for the simple reason, as he said, that
Jervis was too heavy weight for his counsel.

He took a room and showed himself publicly; but at night the
police--those stalwart county men--paid a tiptoe visit to his bedroom.
They had no right to this privilege, but perhaps Harry thought it
would be better for his brother if they did so. Why they went on
tiptoe was that Harry told them his brother was in so weak a state
that he woke up with the least noise. The police very kindly believed
him, and paid their first and second visit on tiptoe.

When they went the third time, however, their bird had flown. Johnny
had let himself down by the window, and, evading the vigilance of
those who may have been on the lookout, escaped.

But he did not go without providing a substitute. Harry was to answer
all inquiries, and waited the arrival of his watchers, lying in
Johnny's bedroom. When the officers came he opened the door in his
night apparel, and said, "Hush! don't disturb him; poor Johnny ain't
slept hardly for a week over this 'ere job. But you can have a peep at
him, only don't make a noise. There he is!" and he pointed to a fancy
nightcap of his brother's, which only wanted Johnny's head to make the
story true.

The good constables, having seen it as they saw it the night before,
left the house as quietly as mice, still on tiptoe.

Harry described this performance to me himself.

Jervis had the whole country scoured for him, but unless he had
scoured it himself, there was little chance of any one else finding
the culprit.

CHAPTER XXI.

THE KNEBWORTH THEATRICAL ENTERTAINMENTS--SIR EDWARD
BULWER--LYTTON--CHARLES DICKENS,