and ask him to let you off this time, and you won't do so any
more."

"Uncle, you won't believe what he says?" cried Don wildly.

Uncle Josiah did not reply, only looked at him searchingly.

"He can't help believing it, my lad," said Mike sadly. "It's werry
shocking in one so young."

Don made a desperate struggle to free himself from Jem's encircling
arms, but the man held fast.

"No, no, my lad; keep quiet," growled Jem. "I'm going to spoil the
shape of his nose for him before he goes."

"Then you don't believe it, Jem?" cried Don, passionately.

"Believe it, my lad? Why, I couldn't believe it if he swore it 'fore a
hundred million magistrits."

"No, that's allus the way with higgerant chaps like you, Jem Wimble,"
said Mike; "but it's all true, genelmen, and I'm sorry I didn't speak
out afore like a man, for he don't deserve what I did for him."

"Hah!" ejaculated Uncle Josiah, and Don's face was full of despair.

"You charge Mike Bannock, then, with stealing this money, sir," said the
constable.

"Yes, certainly."

"What?" roared Mike, savagely, "charge me?"

"That will do," said the constable, taking a little staff with a brass
crown on the end from his pocket. "No nonsense, or I shall call in
help. In the King's name, my lad. Do you give in?"

"Give in? What for? I arn't done nothing. Charge him; he's the
thief."

Don started as if the word _thief_ were a stinging lash.

Jem loosed his hold, and with double fists dashed at the scoundrel.

"You say Master Don's a thief!"

"Silence, Wimble! Stand back, sir," cried Uncle Josiah, sternly.

"But, sir--"

"Silence, man! Am I master here?"

Jem drew back muttering.

"Charge him, I say," continued Mike, boisterously; "and if you won't, I
will. Look here, Mr Smithers, I charge this 'ere boy with going to his
uncle's desk and taking all the gold, and leaving all the silver in a
little hogamee bowl."

"You seem to know all about it, Mike," said the constable, grimly.

"Course I do, my lad. I seed him. Caught him in the werry act, and he
dropped one o' the guineas, and it run away under the desk, and he
couldn't find it."

"You saw all that, eh?" said the constable.

"Every bit of it. I swears to it, sir."

"And how came you to be in the office to see it?"

"How come I in the office to see it?" said Mike, staring; "how come I in
the office to see it?"

"Yes. Your work's in the yard, isn't it?"

"Course it is," said Mike,