train comes in; but after that, we will with pleasure.” Mr. Tatt
waits, and the train comes in, and then Witchem and me go off with
him to the Hotel. Mr. Tatt he’s got up quite regardless of
expense, for the occasion; and in his shirt-front there’s a
beautiful diamond prop, cost him fifteen or twenty pound – a very
handsome pin indeed. We drink our sherry at the bar, and have had
our three or four glasses, when Witchem cries suddenly, “Look out,
Mr. Wield! stand fast!” and a dash is made into the place by the
Swell Mob – four of ’em – that have come down as I tell you, and in
a moment Mr. Tatt’s prop is gone! Witchem, he cuts ’em off at the
door, I lay about me as hard as I can, Mr. Tatt shows fight like a
good ‘un, and there we are, all down together, heads and heels,
knocking about on the floor of the bar – perhaps you never see such
a scene of confusion! However, we stick to our men (Mr. Tatt being
as good as any officer), and we take ’em all, and carry ’em off to
the station.’ The station’s full of people, who have been took on
the course; and it’s a precious piece of work to get ’em secured.
However, we do it at last, and we search ’em; but nothing’s found
upon ’em, and they’re locked up; and a pretty state of heat we are
in by that time, I assure you!
‘I was very blank over it, myself, to think that the prop had been
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passed away; and I said to Witchem, when we had set ’em to rights,
and were cooling ourselves along with Mr. Tatt, “we don’t take much
by THIS move, anyway, for nothing’s found upon ’em, and it’s only
the braggadocia, (2) after all.” “What do you mean, Mr. Wield?”
says Witchem. “Here’s the diamond pin!” and in the palm of his
hand there it was, safe and sound! “Why, in the name of wonder,”
says me and Mr. Tatt, in astonishment, “how did you come by that?”
“I’ll tell you how I come by it,” says he. “I saw which of ’em
took it; and when we were all down on the floor together, knocking
about, I just gave him a little touch on the back of his hand, as I
knew his pal would; and he thought it WAS his pal; and gave it me!”
It was beautiful, beau-ti-ful!
‘Even that was hardly the best of the case, for that chap was tried
at the Quarter Sessions at Guildford. You know what Quarter
Sessions are, sir. Well, if you’ll believe me, while them slow
justices were looking over the Acts of Parliament, to see what they
could do to him, I’m blowed if he didn’t cut out of the dock before
their faces! He cut out of the dock, sir, then and there; swam
across a river; and got up into a tree to dry himself. In the tree
he was took – an old woman having seen him climb up – and Witchem’s
artful touch transported him!’
III. – THE SOFA
“What young men will do, sometimes, to ruin themselves and break
their friends’ hearts,’ said Sergeant Dornton, ‘it’s surprising! I
had a case at Saint Blank’s Hospital which was of this sort. A bad
case, indeed, with a bad end!
‘The Secretary, and the House-Surgeon, and the Treasurer, of Saint
Blank’s Hospital, came to Scotland Yard to give information of
numerous robberies having been committed on the students. The
students could leave nothing in the pockets of their great-coats,
while the great-coats were hanging at the hospital, but it was
almost certain to be stolen. Property of various descriptions was
constantly being lost; and the gentlemen were naturally uneasy
about it, and anxious, for the credit of the institution, that the
thief or thieves should be discovered. The case was entrusted to
me, and I went to the hospital.
‘”Now, gentlemen,” said I, after we had talked it over; “I
understand this property is usually lost from one room.”