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the mat； as coolly as if he lived there。
“Just send somebody out to relieve my mate； will you； young
man？” said the officer； “he’s in the gig； a…minding the prad。 Have
you got a coach ’us here； that you could put it up in； for five or ten
minutes？”
Brittles replying in the affirmative； and pointing out the
building； the portly man stepped back to the garden gate； and
helped his companion to put up the gig； while Brittles lighted
them； in a state of great admiration。 This done； they returned to
the house； and； being shown into a parlour； took off their
greatcoats and hats； and showed like what they were。
The man who had knocked at the door was a stout personage of
middle height； aged about fifty； with shiny black hair； cropped
pretty close； half…whiskers； a round face； and sharp eyes。 The
other was a red…headed； bony man； in top…boots； with a rather ill…
favoured countenance； and a turned…up sinister…looking nose。
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“Tell your governor that Blathers and Duff is here； will you？”
said the stouter man； smoothing down his hair； and laying a pair of
handcuffs on the table。 “Oh！ Good…evening； master。 Can I have a
word or two with you in private； if you please？”
This was addressed to Mr。 Losberne； who now made his
appearance； that gentleman； motioning Brittles to retire； brought
in the two ladies； and shut the door。
“This is the lady of the house；” said Mr。 Losberne； motioning
towards Mrs。 Maylie。
Mr。 Blathers made a bow。 Being desired to sit down； he put his
hat on the floor； and taking a chair； motioned Duff to do the same。
The latter gentleman； who did not appear quite so much
accustomed to good society； or quite so much at his ease in it—one
of the two—seated himself； after undergoing several muscular
affections of the limbs； and forced the head of his stick into his
mouth； with some embarrassment。
“Now； with regard to this here robbery； master；” said Blathers。
“What are the circumstances？”
Mr。 Losberne； who appeared desirous of gaining time；
recounted them at great length； and with much circumlocution。
Messrs。 Blathers and Duff looked very knowing meanwhile； and
occasionally exchanged a nod。
“I can’t say； for certain； till I see the work； of course；” said
Blathers； “but my opinion at once is—I don’t mind committing
myself to that extent—that this wasn’t done by a yokel； eh； Duff？”
“Certainly not；” replied Duff。
“And； translating the word yokel for the benefit of the ladies； I
apprehend your meaning to be； that this attempt was not made by
a countryman？” said Mr。 Losberne； with a smile。
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“That’s it； master；” replied Blathers。 “This is all about the
robbery； is it？”
“All；” replied the doctor。
“Now； what is this； about this here boy that the servants are a…
talking on？” said Blathers。
“Nothing at all；” replied the doctor。 “One of the frightened
servants chose to take it into his head； that he had something to do
with this attempt to break into the house； but it’s nonsense—sheer
absurdity。”
“Very easy disposed of； if it is；” remarked Duff。
“What he says is quite correct；” observed Blathers； nodding his
head in a confirmatory way； and playing carelessly with the
handcuffs； as if they were a pair of castanets。 “Who is the boy？
What account does he give of himself？ Where did he come from？
He didn’t drop out of the clouds； did he； master？”
“Of course not；” replied the doctor； with a nervous glance at the
two ladies。 “I know his whole history； but we can talk about that
presently。 You would like； first； to see the place where the thieves
made their attempt； I suppose！”
“Certainly；” rejoined Mr。 Blathers。 “We had better inspect the
premises first； and examine the servants afterwards。 That’s the
usual way of doing business。”
Lights were then procured； and Messrs。 Blathers and Duff；
attended by the native constable； Brittles； Giles； and everybody
else in short； went into the little room at the end of the passage
and looked out at the window； and afterwards went round by way
of the lawn； and looked in at the window； and after that； had a
candle handed out to inspect the shutter with； and after that； a
lantern to trace the footsteps with； and after that； a pitchfork to
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poke the bushes with。 This done； amidst the breathless interest of
all beholders they came in again； and Mr。 Giles and Brittles were
put through a melodramatic representation of their share in the
previous night’s adventures； which they performed some six times
over； contradicting each other； in not more than one important
respect； the first time； and in not more than a dozen the last。 This
consummation being arrived at； Blathers and Duff cleared the
room； and held a long council together； compared with which； for
secrecy and solemnity； a consultation of great doctors on the
knottiest point in medicine； would be mere child’s play。
Meanwhile； the doctor walked up and down the next room in a
very uneasy state； and Mrs。 Maylie and Rose looked on； with
anxious faces。
“Upon my word；” he said； making a halt； after a great number
of very rapid turns； “I hardly know what to do。”
“Surely；” said Rose； “the poor child’s story； faithfully repeated
to these men； will be sufficient to exonerate him。”
“I doubt it； my dear young lady；” said the doctor； shaking his
head。 “I don’t think it would exonerate him； either with them； or
with legal functionaries of a higher grade。 What is he； after all；
they would say？ A runaway。 Judged by mere worldly
considerations and probabilities； his story is a very doubtful one。”
“You believe it； surely？” interrupted Rose。
“I believe it； strange as it is； and perhaps I may be an old fool
for doing so；” rejoined the doctor； “but I don’t think it is exactly
the tale for a practised police…officer； nevertheless。”
“Why not？” demanded Rose。
“Because； my pretty cross…examiner；” replied the doctor；
“because； viewed with their eyes； there are many ugly points
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about it； he can only prove the parts that look ill； and none of those
that look well。 Confound the fellows； they will have the why and
the wherefore； and will take nothing for granted。 On his own
showing； you see； he has been the companion of thieves for some
time past； he had been carried to a police…office； on a charge of
picking a gentleman’s pocket； he has been taken away； forcibly；
from that gentleman’s house； to a place which he cannot describe
or point out； and of the situation Of which he has not the remotest
idea。 He is brought down to Chertsey； by men who seem to have
taken a violent fancy to him； whether he will or no； and is put
through a window to rob a house； and then； just at the very
moment when he is going to alarm the inmates； and so do the very
thing that would set him all to rights； there rushes into the way； a
blundering dog of a half…bred butler； and shoots him！ As if on
purpose to prevent his doing any good for himself！ Don’t you see
all this？”
“I see it； of course；” replied Rose； smiling at the doctor’s
impetuosity； “but still I do not see anything in it； to criminate the
poor child。”
“No；” replied the doctor； “of course not！ Bless the bright eyes of
your sex！ They never see； whether for good or bad； more than one
side of any question； and that is； always； the one which first
presents itself to them。”
Having given vent to this result of experience； the doctor put
his hands into his pockets； and walked up and down the room with
even greater rapidity than before。
“The more I think of it；” said the doctor； “the more I see that it
will occasion endless trouble and difficulty if we put these men in
possession of the boy’s real story。 I am certain it will not be
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believed； and even if they can do nothing to him in the end； still
the dragging it forward； and giving publicity to all the doubts that
will be cast upon it； must interfere； materially； with your
benevolent plan of rescuing him from misery。”
“Oh！ what is to be done？” cried Rose。 “Dear； dear！ why did they
send for these people？”
“Why； indeed！” exclaimed Mrs。 Maylie。 “I would not have had
them here； for the world。”
“All I know is；” said Mr。 Losberne； at last； sitting down with a
kind of desperate calmness； “that we must try and carry it off with
a bold face。 The object is a good one； and that must be our excuse。
The boy has strong symptoms of fever upon him； and is in no
condition to be talked to any more； that’s one comfort。 We must
make the best of it； and if bad be the best； it is no fault of ours。
Come in！”
“Well； master；” said Blathers； entering the room； followed by
his colleague； and making the door fast； before he said any more。
“This warn’t a put…up th