The mere possession of such articles was in itself suspicious, but coupled with the absence of all tickets on the part of the Sandboys family, the circumstance appeared to assume so dishonest a character, that the collector made no more ado but called a policeman and gave the whole family into custody; saying, they had neither tickets nor money in their possession, and that he found on the old one a whole purseful of sham notes and sovereigns; and that he had not the least doubt it was a deep laid scheme on his part to defraud the Company. Mr. Sandboys raved, and Mrs Sandboys wept; Miss Sandboys intreated, while wicked Master Jobby could hardly contain himself for laughter. The united battery of the family, however, proved of no avail, and the whole six of them, including Postlethwaite and Ann Lightfoot, were dragged off to the Town Hall, there to give some account of themselves, and urge every reason in their power why they should not, one and all, be committed as rogues and vagabonds, for a month, with hard labour, to the New Bailey. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ CHAPTER V. “Hout, man! what signifies repeynin’, Owr grankin’, snifteran’, twistin’, tweynin’, If down leyfe’s hill we be decleynin’, We cannot slack, Then gang on decent without wheynin’, Or hingin’ back. Leyfe, mak’ the best on’t ’s nowght owr pleesin’, As every day some fash comes teasin’, An’ oft eneugh the wheels want greesin’ To keep them ga’un, Then brouce about nor tek sec preesin’ To nate our awn.” _The New Year’s Epistle._ “There’s sic a gang in our town, The deevil cannot wrang them, And cud yen gat ’em put i’ prent Aw England cuddent bang them. * * * * * Cheat who cheat can’s the common rule, Fwoaks a’ cheat yen anither; For he that’s nowther kneave or fuol, God seake! what brought him hither.” MR. SANDBOYS, when he had time for reflection, began to see that he was very unpleasantly situated. The circumstances against him he was obliged to confess, when he came to review them judicially, _did_ look particularly black.