e, with a groan. "I'm more likely to
go to gaol, so far as I can see, than a theayter."

Mrs. Cook and Emma both screamed and Sarah Ann did 'er first
highstericks, and very well, too, considering that she 'ad only just
turned fifteen.

"Gaol!" ses old Cook, as soon as they 'ad quieted Sarah Ann with a bowl
o' cold water that young Bill 'ad the presence o' mind to go and fetch.
"Gaol! What for?"

"You wouldn't believe if I was to tell you." ses Charlie, getting up to
go, "and besides, I don't want any of you to think as 'ow I am worse than
wot I am."

He shook his 'cad at them sorrowful-like, and afore they could stop 'im
he 'ad gone. Old Cook shouted arter 'im, but it was no use, and the
others was running into the scullery to fill the bowl agin for Emma.

Mrs. Cook went round to 'is lodgings next morning, but found that 'e was
out. They began to fancy all sorts o' things then, but Charlie turned up
agin that evening more miserable than ever.

"I went round to see you this morning," ses Mrs. Cook, "but you wasn't at
'ome."

"I never am, 'ardly," ses Charlie. "I can't be--it ain't safe."

"Why not?" ses Mrs. Cook, fidgeting.

"If I was to tell you, you'd lose your good opinion of me," ses Charlie.

"It wouldn't be much to lose," ses Mrs. Cook, firing up.

Charlie didn't answer 'er. When he did speak he spoke to the old man,
and he was so down-'arted that 'e gave 'im the chills a'most, He 'ardly
took any notice of Emma, and, when Mrs. Cook spoke about the shop agin,
said that chandlers' shops was for happy people, not for 'im.

By the time they sat down to supper they was nearly all as miserable as
Charlie 'imself. From words he let drop they all seemed to 'ave the idea
that the police was arter 'im, and Mrs. Cook was just asking 'im for wot
she called the third and last time, but wot was more likely the hundred
and third, wot he'd done, when there was a knock at the front door, so
loud and so sudden that old Cook and young Bill both cut their mouths at
the same time.

"Anybody 'ere o' the name of Emma Cook?" ses a man's voice, when young
Bill opened the door.

"She's inside," ses the boy, and the next moment Jack Bates followed 'im
into the room, and then fell back with a start as 'e saw Charlie Tagg.

"Ho, 'ere you are, are you?" he ses, looking at 'im very black.
"Wot's the matter?" ses Mrs. Cook, very sharp.

"I didn't expect to 'ave the pleasure o' seeing you 'ere, my lad," ses
Jack, still