thus--

"Couldn't get 'ere afore. Couldn't get a nipper."

"'E's 'oppy, 'e is; 'e ain't no good."

"No good?" said Beale. "That's all you know! 'E's a wunner, and no
bloomin' error. Turns the ladies round 'is finger as easy as kiss yer
'and. Clever as a traindawg 'e is--an' all outer 'is own 'ead. And to
'ear the way 'e does the patter to me on the road. It's as good as a
gaff any day to 'ear 'im. My word! I ain't sure as I 'adn't better stick
to the road, and keep away from old 'ands like you, Jim."

"Doin' well, eh?" said Jim.

"Not so dusty," said Mr. Beale cautiously; "we mugger along some'ow.
An' 'e's got so red in the face, and plumped out so, they'll soon say 'e
doesn't want their dibs."

"Starve 'im a bit," said the red-whiskered man cheerfully.

Mr. Beale laughed. Then he spat thoughtfully. Then he said--

"It's rum--I likes to see the little beggar stokin' up, for all it
spoils the market. If 'e gets a bit fat 'e makes it up in cleverness.
You should 'ear 'im!" and so forth and so on, till the red-whiskered man
said quite crossly--

"Seems to me you're a bit dotty about this 'ere extry double nipper. I
never knew you took like it afore."

"Fact is," said Beale, with an air of great candor, "it's 'is cleverness
does me. It ain't as I'm silly about 'im--but 'e's that clever."

"I 'ope 'e's clever enough to do wot 'e's told. Keep 'is mug
shut--that's all."

"He's clever enough for hanythink," said Beale, "and close as wax. 'E's
got a silver toy 'idden away somewhere--it only pops for a bob--and
d'you think 'e'll tell me where it's stowed? Not 'im, and us such pals
as never was, and 'is jaw wagging all day long. But 'e's never let it
out."

"Oh, stow it!" said the other impatiently; "I don't want to 'ear no more
about 'im. If 'e's straight 'e'll do for me, and if he ain't I'll do
for 'im. See? An' now you and me'll have a word or two particler, and
settle up about this 'ere job. I got the plan drawed out. It's a easy
job as ever I see. Seems to me Tuesday's as good a day as any.
Tip-topper--Sir Edward Talbot, that's 'im--'e's in furrin parts for 'is
'ealth, 'e is. Comes 'ome end o' next month. Little surprise for 'im,
eh? You'll 'ave to train it. Abrams 'e'll be there Monday. And see 'ere
. . ." He sank his voice to a whisper.

When Dickie came back, without mushrooms, the red-whiskered man was
gone.

"See that bloke just now?" said Mr. Beale.

"Yuss," said Dickie.

"Well, you never see 'im.