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moment when he is going to alarm the inmates； and so do the very
thing that would set him all to rights； there rushes into the way； a
blundering dog of a half…bred butler； and shoots him！ As if on
purpose to prevent his doing any good for himself！ Don’t you see
all this？”
“I see it； of course；” replied Rose； smiling at the doctor’s
impetuosity； “but still I do not see anything in it； to criminate the
poor child。”
“No；” replied the doctor； “of course not！ Bless the bright eyes of
your sex！ They never see； whether for good or bad； more than one
side of any question； and that is； always； the one which first
presents itself to them。”
Having given vent to this result of experience； the doctor put
his hands into his pockets； and walked up and down the room with
even greater rapidity than before。
“The more I think of it；” said the doctor； “the more I see that it
will occasion endless trouble and difficulty if we put these men in
possession of the boy’s real story。 I am certain it will not be
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believed； and even if they can do nothing to him in the end； still
the dragging it forward； and giving publicity to all the doubts that
will be cast upon it； must interfere； materially； with your
benevolent plan of rescuing him from misery。”
“Oh！ what is to be done？” cried Rose。 “Dear； dear！ why did they
send for these people？”
“Why； indeed！” exclaimed Mrs。 Maylie。 “I would not have had
them here； for the world。”
“All I know is；” said Mr。 Losberne； at last； sitting down with a
kind of desperate calmness； “that we must try and carry it off with
a bold face。 The object is a good one； and that must be our excuse。
The boy has strong symptoms of fever upon him； and is in no
condition to be talked to any more； that’s one comfort。 We must
make the best of it； and if bad be the best； it is no fault of ours。
Come in！”
“Well； master；” said Blathers； entering the room； followed by
his colleague； and making the door fast； before he said any more。
“This warn’t a put…up thing。”
“And what the devil’s a put…up thing？” demanded the doctor
impatiently。
“We call it a put…up robbery； ladies；” said Blathers； turning to
them； as if he pitied their ignorance； but had a contempt for the
doctor’s； “when the servants is in it。”
“Nobody suspected them； in this case；” said Mrs。 Maylie。
“Wery likely not； ma’am；” replied Blathers； “but they might
have been in it； for all that。”
“More likely on that wery account；” said Duff。
“We find it was a town hand；” said Blathers； continuing his
report； “for the style of work is first…rate。”
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“Wery pretty indeed； it is；” remarked Duff； in an undertone。
“There was two of ’em in it；” continued Blathers； “and they had
a boy with ’em； that’s plain from the size of the window。 That’s all
to be said at present。 We’ll see this lad that you’ve got upstairs at
once； if you please。”
“Perhaps they will take something to drink first； Mrs。 Maylie？”
said the doctor； his face brightening； as if some new thought had
occurred to him。
“Oh！ to be sure！” exclaimed Rose eagerly。 “You shall have it
immediately； if you will。”
“Why； thank you； miss！” said Blathers； drawing his coat…sleeve
across his mouth； “it’s dry work； this sort of duty。 Anythink that’s
handy； miss； don’t put yourself out of the way； on our accounts。”
“What shall it be？” asked the doctor； following the young lady
to the sideboard。
“A little drop of spirits； master； if it’s all the same；” replied
Blathers。 “It’s a cold ride from London； ma’am； and I always find
that spirits comes home warmer to the feelings。”
This interesting communication was addressed to Mrs。 Maylie；
who received it very graciously。 While it was being conveyed to
her； the doctor slipped out of the room。
“Ah！” said Mr。 Blathers； not holding his wineglass by the stem；
but grasping the bottom between the thumb and forefinger of his
left hand； and placing it in front of his chest； “I have seen a good
many pieces of business like this； in my time； ladies。”
“That crack down in the back lane at Edmonton； Blathers；”
said Mr。 Duff； assisting his colleague’s memory。
“That was something in this way； warn’t it？” rejoined Mr。
Blathers； “that was done by Conkey Chickweed； that was。”
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“You always gave that to him；” replied Duff。 “It was the Family
Pet； I tell you。 Conkey hadn’t any more to do with it than I had。”
“Get out！” retorted Mr。 Blathers； “I know better。 Do you mind
that time when Conkey was robbed of his money； though？ What a
start that was！ Better than any novel…book I ever see！”
“What was that？” inquired Rose； anxious to encourage any
symptoms of good…humour in the unwelcome visitors。
“It was a robbery； miss； that hardly anybody would have been
down upon；” said Blathers。 “This here Conkey Chickweed—”
“Conkey means Nosey； ma’am；” interposed Duff。
“Of course the lady knows that； don’t she？” demanded Mr。
Blathers。 “Always interrupting； you are； partner！ This here
Conkey Chickweed； miss； kept a public…house over Battlebridge
way； and he had a cellar； where a good many young lords went to
see cock…fighting； and badger…drawing； and that； and a wery
intellectual manner the sports was conducted in； for I’ve seen ’em
often。 He warn’t one of the family at that time； and one night he
was robbed of three hundred and twenty…seven guineas in a
canvas bag； that was stole out of his bedroom in the dead of night；
by a tall man with a black patch over his eye； who had concealed
himself under the bed； and after committing the robbery； jumped
slap out of window； which was only a storey high。 He was wery
quick about it。 But Conkey was quick； too； for he was woke by the
noise； and darting out of bed； he fired a blunderbuss arter him；
and roused the neighbourhood。 They set up a hue…and…cry；
directly； and when they came to look about ’em； found that
Conkey had hit the robber； for there was traces of blood； all the
way to some palings a good distance off； and there they lost ’em。
However； he had made off with the blunt； and； consequently； the
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name of Mr。 Chickweed； licensed witler； appeared in the Gazette
among the other bankrupts； and all manner of benefits and
subscriptions； and I don’t know what all； was got up for the poor
man； who was in a wery low state of mind about his loss； and went
up and down the streets； for three or four days； a…pulling his hair
off in such a desperate manner that many people was afraid he
might be going to make away with himself。 One day he come up to
the office； all in a hurry and had a private interview with the
magistrate； who； after a deal of talk； rings the bell； and orders Jem
Spyers in （Jem was a active officer）； and tells him to go and assist
Mr。 Chickweed in apprehending the man as robbed his house。 ‘I
see him； Spyers；’ said Chickweed； ‘pass my house yesterday
morning。’ ‘Why didn’t you up and collar him！’ says Spyers。 ‘I was
so struck all of a heap； that you might have fractured my skull with
a toothpick；’ says the poor man； ‘but we’re sure to have him； for
between ten and eleven o’clock at night he passed again。’ Spyers
no sooner heard this； than he put some clean linen and a comb； in
his pocket； in case he should have to stop a day or two； and away
he goes； and sets himself down； at one of the public…house
windows behind the little red curtain with his hat on； all ready to
bolt out； at a moment’s notice。 He was smoking his pipe here； late
at night； when all of a sudden Chickweed roars out； ‘Here he is！
Stop thief！ Murder！’ Jem Spyers dashes out； and there he sees
Chickweed； a…tearing down the street full cry。 Away goes Spyers；
on goes Chickweed； round turns the people； everybody roars out；
‘Thieves！’ and Chickweed