That was by way of a joke like," ses the conjurer to John Biggs. "I can
always do it. I'm going to do it now. Will somebody 'ave the kindness
to lend me a watch?"

He looked all round the room, but nobody offered--except other men's
watches, wot wouldn't lend 'em.

"Come, come," he ses; "ain't none of you got any trust in me? It'll be
as safe as if it was in your pocket. I want to prove to you that this
man is a thief."

He asked 'em agin, and at last John Biggs took out 'is silver watch and
offered it to 'im on the understanding that 'e was on no account to fire
it into Bob Pretty's pocket.

"Not likely," ses the conjurer. "Now, everybody take a good look at this
watch, so as to make sure there's no deceiving."

He 'anded it round, and arter everybody 'ad taken a look at it 'e took it
up to the table and laid it down.

"Let me 'ave a look at it," ses Bob Pretty, going up to the table. "I'm
not going to 'ave my good name took away for nothing if I can 'elp it."

He took it up and looked at it, and arter 'olding it to 'is ear put it
down agin.

"Is that the flat-iron it's going to be smashed with?" he ses.

"It is," ses the conjurer, looking at 'im nasty like; "p'r'aps you'd like
to examine it."

Bob Pretty took it and looked at it. "Yes, mates," he ses, "it's a
ordinary flat-iron. You couldn't 'ave anything better for smashing a
watch with."

He 'eld it up in the air and, afore anybody could move, brought it down
bang on the face o' the watch. The conjurer sprang at 'im and caught at
'is arm, but it was too late, and in a terrible state o' mind 'e turned
round to John Biggs.

[Illustration: "Afore anybody could move, he brought it down bang on the
face o' the watch."]

"He's smashed your watch," he ses; "he's smashed your watch."

"Well," ses John Biggs, "it 'ad got to be smashed, 'adn't it?"

"Yes, but not by 'im," ses the conjurer, dancing about. "I wash my 'ands
of it now."

"Look 'ere," ses John Biggs; "don't you talk to me about washing your
'ands of it. You finish your trick and give me my watch back agin same
as it was afore."

"Not now he's been interfering with it," ses the conjurer. "He'd better
do the trick now as he's so clever."

"I'd sooner 'ave you do it," ses John Biggs. "Wot did you let 'im
interfere for?"

"'Ow was I to know wot 'e was going to do?" ses the conjurer. "You must
settle it between you now. I'll 'ave nothing more to do with it."

"All right, John