lot, and I ll sell them back to you, right now, for
eight. Come, it s a go!"

But he grinned and shook his head, and though
I had made a good bargain, I was unpleasantly
aware that he had made a better one.

I found the cabby and a policeman with their
heads together, but the latter, after looking me
over sharply and particularly scrutinizing the bundle
under my arm, turned away and left the cabby to
wax mutinous by himself. And not a step would
he budge till I paid him the seven shillings and
sixpence owing him. Whereupon he was willing
to drive me to the ends of the earth, apologizing
profusely for his insistence, and explaining that
one ran across queer customers in London Town.

But he drove me only to Highbury Vale, in
North London, where my luggage was waiting for
me. Here, next day, I took off my shoes (not
without regret for their lightness and comfort), and
my soft, gray travelling suit, and, in fact, all my
clothing; and proceeded to array myself in the
clothes of the other and unimaginable men, who
must have been indeed unfortunate to have had to
part with such rags for the pitiable sums obtainable
from a dealer.

Inside my stoker s singlet, in the armpit, I sewed
a gold sovereign (an emergency sum certainly of
modest proportions); and inside my stoker s singlet

[[12]]

p011 _ -chap- _ toc-1 _ p012w _ toc-2 _ +chap+ _ p013

v?