ov
in yer time--well, to bust out with it straight and candid, it's yer own
crib as used to be w'en yer wos alive; but, yer see, bein' as how ye're
dead now and it ain't o' no more good to yer--there's a nice little lot
of old plate as you've got there as we sho'd be proud to 'andle. The
on'y thing is----"

"Yus, that's w'ere it is," interrupted Bill. "The o'ny thing is as we
might 'ave to knock yer missis--axin' pardon; 'er ladyship--on the 'ed,
bein' a light sleeper, her maid ses, and a bit ov a spitfire, d'ye see?"

The judge's ghost attempted to give vent to a cry of indignant horror
and forbid the attempt in the most unequivocal way. He struggled to rush
forth and inform the police and the community; but he heard himself
chuckle and felt himself slap the two burglars on the back, and knew
that he was saying to them: "Heave ahead, my bloaters! I owe the old
Dutch clock one for the naggings she's treated me to. I'm on this job,
that's what I am!" And then he puffed away at his short clay, and kept
on chuckling until he felt quite sick with misery.

"He's the right sort, so he is," said Bill, "and no two ways abaat it."

"Right yer are," said Jemmy. "'E's the sort o' pal for me, and no
error."

Once more the judge's ghost wandered about from one malefactor to
another, and from one victim to another, always assisting the
malefactors and jeering the victims, and always welcome as a friend by
the former, and cursed as an enemy by the latter. He had no rest night
or day; he was constantly racked and harrowed by some new shock of grief
or repugnance.

The thing got noised about, how the eminent and respected judge Lord
Justice Pimblekin had not been killed in his balloon adventure, but had
returned to the country and, disregarding all his old associations of
morality, refinement, and respectability, was herding with criminals of
the lowest type, and indulging in the most nefarious and vulgar
practices.

At this time it was his fate to appear at a select meeting of the
directors of that Widows' and Orphans' Fleecing Corporation Limited, the
prospectus of which he had assisted in drawing up. His presence at first
filled the directors with the gravest alarm; but when the promoter
explained how greatly his lordship had changed, they unanimously
appointed him chairman. It was passingly suggested that his lordship's
growing evil reputation might prejudice the concern in the eyes of the
public; but the promoter, who kne