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on goes Chickweed； round turns the people； everybody roars out；
‘Thieves！’ and Chickweed himself keeps on shouting； all the time；
like mad。 Spyers loses sight of him a minute as he turns a corner；
shoots round； sees a little crowd； dives in； ‘Which is the man？’ ‘D—
me！’ says Chickweed； ‘I’ve lost him again！’ It was a remarkable
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occurrence； but he warn’t to be seen nowhere； so they went back
to the public…house。 Next morning Spyers took his old place； and
looked out； from behind the curtain； for a tall man with a black
patch over his eyes； till his own two eyes ached again。 At last； he
couldn’t help shutting ’em； to ease ’em a minute； and the very
moment he did so； he heard Chickweed a…roaring out； ‘Here he is！’
Off he starts once more； with Chickweed half…way down the street
ahead of him； and after twice as long a run as the yesterday’s one；
the man’s lost again！ This was done； once or twice more； till one…
half the neighbours gave out that Mr。 Chickweed had been robbed
by the devil； who was playing tricks with him arterwards； and the
other half； that poor Mr。 Chickweed had gone mad with grief。”
“What did Jem Spyers say？” inquired the doctor； who had
returned to the room shortly after the commencement of the story。
“Jem Spyers；” resumed the officer； “for a long time said
nothing at all； and listened to everything without seeming to；
which showed he understood his business。 But one morning； he
walked into the bar； and taking out his snuff…box； says；
‘Chickweed； I’ve found out who done this here robbery。’ ‘Have
you？’ said Chickweed。 ‘Oh； my dear Spyers； only let me have
wengeance； and I shall die contented！ Oh； my dear Spyers； where
is the villain？’ ‘Come！’ said Spyers； offering him a pinch of snuff；
‘none of that gammon！ You did it yourself。’ So he had； and a good
bit of money he had made by it； too； and nobody would never have
found it out； if he hadn’t been so precious anxious to keep up
appearances； that’s more！” said Mr。 Blathers； putting down his
wine…glass； and clinking the handcuffs together。
“Very curious； indeed；” observed the doctor。 “Now； if you
please； you can walk upstairs。”
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“If you please； sir；” returned Blathers。 Closely following Mr。
Losberne； the two officers ascended to Oliver’s bedroom； Mr。 Giles
preceding the party； with a lighted candle。
Oliver had been dozing； but looked worse； and was more
feverish than he had appeared yet。 Being assisted by the doctor；
he managed to sit up in bed for a minute or so； and looked at the
strangers without at all understanding what was going forward—
in fact； without seeming to recollect where he was； or what had
been passing。
“This；” said Mr。 Losberne； speaking softly； but with great
vehemence notwithstanding； “this is the lad； who； being
accidentally wounded by a spring…gun in some boyish trespass on
Mr。 What…d’ye…call…him’s grounds； at the back here； comes to the
house for assistance this morning； and is immediately laid hold of
and maltreated； by that ingenious gentleman with the candle in
his hand； who had placed his life in considerable danger； as I can
professionally certify。”
Messrs。 Blathers and Duff looked at Mr。 Giles； as he was thus
recommended to their notice。 The bewildered butler gazed from
them towards Oliver； and from Oliver towards Mr。 Losberne； with
a most ludicrous mixture of fear and perplexity。
“You don’t mean to deny that； I suppose？” said the doctor；
laying Oliver gently down again。
“I was all done for the—for the best； sir；” answered Giles。 “I am
sure I thought it was the boy； or I wouldn’t have meddled with
him。 I am not of an inhuman disposition； sir。”
“Thought it was what boy？” inquired the senior officer。
“The housebreaker’s boy； sir！” replied Giles。 “They—they
certainly had a boy。”
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“Well？ Do you think so now？” inquired Blathers。
“Think what now？” replied Giles； looking vacantly at his
questioner。
“Think it’s the same boy； stupid…head？” rejoined Blathers
impatiently。
“I don’t know； I really don’t know；” said Giles； with a rueful
countenance。 “I couldn’t swear to him。”
“What do you think？” asked Mr。 Blathers。
“I don’t know what to think；” replied poor Giles。 “I don’t think
it is the boy； indeed； I’m almost certain that it isn’t。 You know it
can’t be。”
“Has this man been a…drinking； sir？” inquired Blathers； turning
to the doctor。
“What a precious muddle…headed chap you are！” said Duff；
addressing Mr。 Giles； with supreme contempt。
Mr。 Losberne had been feeling the patient’s pulse during this
short dialogue； but he now rose from the chair by the bedside； and
remarked； that if the officers had any doubts upon the subject；
they would perhaps like to step into the next room； and have
Brittles before them。
Acting upon this suggestion； they adjourned to a neighbouring
apartment； where Mr。 Brittles； being called in； involved himself
and his respected superior in such a wonderful maze of fresh
contradictions and impossibilities； as tended to throw no
particular light on anything； but the fact of his own strong
mystification； except； indeed； his declarations that he shouldn’t
know the real boy； if he were put before him that instant； that he
had only taken Oliver to be he； because Mr。 Giles had said he was；
and that Mr。 Giles had； five minutes previously； admitted in the
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kitchen； that he began to be very much afraid he had been a little
too hasty。
Among other ingenious surmises； the question was then raised；
whether Mr。 Giles had really hit anybody； and upon examination
of the fellow…pistol to that which he had fired； it turned out to have
no more destructive loading than gunpowder and brown paper—a
discovery which made a considerable impression on everybody
but the doctor； who had drawn the ball about ten minutes before。
Upon no one； however； did it make a greater impression than on
Mr。 Giles himself； who； after labouring； for some hours； under the
fear of having mortally wounded a fellow…creature； eagerly caught
at this new idea； and favoured it to the utmost。 Finally； the
officers； without troubling themselves very much about Oliver； left
the Chertsey constable in the house； and took up their rest for that
night in the town； promising to return next morning。
With the next morning there came a rumour； that two men and
a boy were in the cage at Kingston； who had been apprehended
overnight under suspicious circumstances； and to Kingston
Messrs。 Blathers and Duff journeyed accordingly。 The suspicious
circumstances； however； resolving themselves； on investigation；
into the one fact； that they had been discovered sleeping under a
haystack； which； although a great crime； is only punishable by
imprisonment； and is； in the merciful eye of the English law； and
its comprehensive love of all the king’s subjects； held to be no
satisfactory proof； in the absence of all other evidence； that the
sleeper； or sleepers； have committed burglary accompanied with
violence； and have therefore rendered themselves liable to the
punishment of death； Messrs。 Blathers and Duff came back again；
as wise as they went。
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In short； after some more examination； and a great deal more
conversation； a neighbouring magistrate was readily induced to
take the joint bail of Mrs。 Maylie and Mr。 Losberne for Oliver’s
appearance if he should ever be called upon； and Blathers and
Duff； being rewarded with a couple of guineas； returned to town
with divided opinions on the subject of their expedition； the latter
gentleman on a mature consideration of all the circumstances；
inclining to the belief that the burglarious attempt had originated
with the Family Pet； and the former being equally disposed to
c