ly, "Pipe's gone--half-dollar pipe in a
case--nobody won't smoke it now, p'r'aps. Wish I hadn't come."

"So do I now," I said hotly. "You did buy it to learn to smoke, and
we've lost our passage through you."

Esau was silent for a few moments, and then he came towards me and
whispered--

"Don't say that, sir. I saw what a shabby old clay pipe Mr Gunson had
got, and I thought a good noo clean briar-root one would be a nice
present for him, and I ran off to get it, and bought a big strong one as
wouldn't break. And then, as I was out, I thought I'd look in at some
of the stores, and see if there wasn't something that would do for you."

"And you went off to buy me a pipe, my lad?" said Gunson, who had heard
every word.

"Didn't know you was listening," said Esau, awkwardly.

"I could not help hearing. You were excited and spoke louder than you
thought. Thank you, my lad, though I haven't got the pipe. Well, how
did you get on then?"

"That's what I hardly know, sir. I s'pose those chaps we had the tussle
with had seen me, and I was going stoopidly along after I'd bought your
pipe--and it was such a good one--staring in at the windows thinking of
what I could buy for him, for there don't seem to be anything you can
buy for a boy or a young fellow but a knife, and he'd got two already,
when in one of the narrow streets, Shove! bang!"

"What?" I said.

"Shove! bang! Some one seemed to jump right on me, and drove me up
against a door--bang, and I was knocked into a passage. 'Course I
turned sharply to hit out, but five or six fellows had rushed in after
me, and they shoved me along that passage and out into a yard, and then
through another door, and before I knew where I was they'd got me down
and were sitting on me."

"But didn't you holler out, or cry for help?"

"He says didn't I holler out, or shout for help! I should just think I
did; but before I'd opened my mouth more than twice they'd stuffed some
dirty old rag in,--I believe it was some one's pocket-hankychy,--and
then they tied another over it and behind my head to keep it in, right
over my nose too, and there I was."

"But you saw the men," said Gunson, who was deeply interested.

"Oh yes, I saw 'em. One of 'em was that long-haired chap; and it was
him whose hands run so easy into my pockets, and who got off my coat and
weskit, and slit up my shirt like this so as to get at the belt I had on
with my money in it. He had that in a momen