nose.
Thieves, you see, are not particular, unless, indeed, we may regard them
as particularly indifferent to the injuries they inflict on their
fellow-men--but, what did we say? their fellow-men?--a railway is not a
fellow-man. Surely Jim's sin in robbing a railway must be regarded as a
venial one. _Honest_ men do that every day and appear to think nothing
of it! Nobody appears to think anything of it. A railway would seem to
be the one great unpardonable outlaw of the land, which does good to
nobody, and is deemed fair game by everybody who can catch it--napping.
But it is not easily caught napping. Neither was Mr Superintendent
Sharp.

Jim's hand came through the hole in the covering and entered some sort
of receptacle, which must have been broken open by somebody, for the
hand was quickly withdrawn with three apples in it. Again it entered.
Mr Sharp might have kissed it easily, but he was a man of considerable
self-restraint--at least when others were concerned. He thought it
advisable that there should be some of the stolen goods found in Jim's
pockets! He did not touch the hand, therefore, while it was drawn back
with other three apples in it. You see it was a large hand, and could
hold three at a time. A third time it entered and grasped more of the
forbidden fruit.

"There's luck in odd numbers," thought Mr Sharp, as he seized the wrist
with both of his iron hands, and held it fast.

The appalling yell which Jim uttered was due more to superstitious dread
than physical fear, for, on discovering that the voice which accompanied
the grip was that of Mr Sharp, he struggled powerfully to get free.
After the first violent effort was over, Mr Sharp suddenly slid one
hand along Jim's arm, caught him by the collar, and, launching himself
through the hole which had been cut so conveniently large, plunged into
Jim's bosom and crushed him to the earth.

This was quite sufficient for Jim, who got up meekly when permitted, and
pleaded for mercy. Mr Sharp told him that mercy was a commodity in
which he did not deal, that it was the special perquisite of judges,
from whom he might steal it if they would not give or sell it to him,
and, bidding him come along quietly, led him to the station, and locked
him up for the night.

Not satisfied with what he had already accomplished, Mr Sharp then
returned to his office, where he found the faithful Blunt awaiting him,
to whom he related briefly what he had done.

"