Shrig, "but I ain't surprised, no, I
ain't surprised, and--by Goles!"
"What now?"
"Your cravat-sparkler!--that's wanished too!" Barnabas felt his
rumpled cravat, and nodded. "And your vatch, now--don't tell me as
they 've took--"
"Yes, my watch also," sighed Barnabas.
"A great pity!" said Mr. Shrig, "though it ain't to be vondered
at,--not a bit."
"I valued the watch greatly, because it was given me by a very good
friend," said Barnabas, sighing again.
"Walleyed it, hey?" exclaimed Mr. Shrig, "walleyed it, sir?--v'y then,
'ere it be!" and from a capacious side-pocket he produced Natty
Bell's great watch, seals and all.
"Why--!" exclaimed Barnabas, staring.
"Also your purse, sir,--not forgetting the sparkler." Mr. Shrig
continued, producing each article in turn.
"But--how in the world--?" began Barnabas.
"I took 'em from you v'ile you vos a-lookin' at my castor. Lord love
me, a babe could ha' done it,--let alone a old 'and, like me!"
"Do you mean--?" began Barnabas, and hesitated.
"In my young days, sir," explained Mr. Shrig with his placid smile,
"I vere a champion buzman, ah! and a prime rook at queering the gulls,
too, but I ewentually turned honest all along of a flash, morning-sneak
covess as got 'erself conwerted.
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