at sent up to Coleby by a trustworthy
man, Bob and Dexter were returning in a second-class carriage, with
their custodians, Peter and old Dan'l.

They were the sole occupants of the carriage, and soon after starting
Bob turned to Dexter--

"I say!" he exclaimed.

Dexter started, and looked at him indignantly--so angrily, in fact, that
Bob grinned.

"Yer needn't look like that," he said. "If I forgives yer, and begins
to talk to yer, what more d'yer want!"

Dexter turned away, and looked out of the window.

"There's a sulky one!" said Bob, with a coarse laugh; and as he spoke it
was as if he were appealing to old Dan'l and Peter in turn. "He would
do it. I tried to hold him back, but he would do it, and he made me
come, and now he turns on me like that."

"You're a nice un," said Peter, staring hard at the boy.

"So are you!" said the young scamp insolently. "You mind yer own
business, and look arter him. He's got to look arter me--ain't yer,
sir!"

"Yes," said old Dan'l sourly; "and I'm going to stuff a hankychy or
something else into your mouth if you don't hold your tongue."

"Oh, are yer!" said Bob boldly. "I should just like to see yer do it."

"Then you shall if you don't keep quiet."

Bob was silent for a few minutes, and then amused himself by making a
derisive grimace at Dan'l as soon as he was looking another way.

"It was all his fault," he said sullenly. "He would take the boat."

"Ah, there was about six o' one of you, and half a dozen of the other,"
said Peter, laughing. "You'll get it, young fellow. Six weeks hard
labour, and then four years in a reformatory. That's about your dose."

"Is it?" said Bob derisively. "That's what he'll get, and serve him
right--a sneak."

Dexter's cheeks, which were very pale, began to show spots of red, but
he stared out of the window.

"I shouldn't have gone, only he was allus at me," continued Bob.
"Allus. Some chaps ain't never satisfied."

Old Dan'l filled his pipe, and began to smoke.

"You'll get enough to satisfy you," said Peter. "I say, Dan'l, you
wouldn't mind, would you?"

"Mind what?" grunted Dan'l.

"Giving me one of the noo brooms. One out o' the last dozen--the long
switchy ones. I could just cut the band, and make about three reg'lar
teasers out of one broom."

"What, birch-rods?" said Dan'l, with a sort of cast-iron knocker smile.

"Yes," said Peter.

"Mind? no, my lad, you may have two of 'em, and I should like