"Yes, sir," said the giant diffidently.

"Sir," pursued Mr. Shrig, "you're a Nob, I know, a Corinthian by

your looks, a Buck, sir, a Dash, a 'eavy Toddler, but also, I takes

the liberty o' telling you as you're only a man, arter all, like the

rest on us, and it's that man as I'm a-talking to. Now v'en a man

'as stood up for me, shed 'is good blood for me, I makes that man my

pal, and my pal I allus trusts."

"And you shall find me worthy of your confidence," said Barnabas,

"and there's my hand on it, though, indeed, you hardly know

me--really."

"More than you think, sir. Besides, it ain't v'ot a cove tells me

about 'imself as matters, nor v'ot other coves tell me about a cove,

as matters, it's v'ot a cove carries in 'is face as I goes by,--the

cock of 'is eye, an' all the rest of it. And then, I knows as your

name's Barnabas Barty--"

"Barty!--you know that?" exclaimed Barnabas, starting,--"how--how in

the world did you find out?"

"Took the liberty to look at your vatch, sir."

"Watch!" said Barnabas, drawing it from his fob, "what do you mean?"

"Give it 'ere, and I'll show ye, sir." So saying, Mr. Shrig took the

great timepiece and, opening the back, handed it to Barnabas. And

there, in the cavity between the two cases was a very small folded

paper, and upon this paper, in Natty Bell's handwriting, these words: "To my dear lad Barnabas Barty, hoping that he may prove

as fine a gentleman as he is--a man."

Having read this, Barnabas folded the paper very gently, and putting

it back, closed the watch, and slipped it into his fob.

"And now," said Mr. Shrig, exhaling a vast cloud of smoke, "afore I

go on to tell you about this 'ere murder as I'm a-vaiting for, I

must show ye my little reader." Here Mr. Shrig thrust a hand into

his pocket,--then his pipe shivered to fragments on the stone floor

and he started up, mouth agape and eyes staring.

"Lord, Jarsper!" cried the Corporal, "what is it, comrade?"

"It's gone, Dick!" he gasped, "my little reader's been stole."

But now, even as he turned towards the door, Barnabas laid a

detaining hand upon his arm.

"Not stolen--lost!" said he, "and indeed, I'm not at all surprised!"

Here Barnabas smiled his quick, bright smile.




readonlinefreebook.com Copyright 2016 - 2024