_Bill_. I won't. There's yer skid. _Wat_. Be off, or I'll give you in charge. Hey! Policeman! _Exit_. _Bill_. Well, I'm blowed! This quid '11 be the hangin' o' me! _Damn you_! (_Throws it fiercely on the ground and stamps on it_.) Serves me right for chaffin' the old un! He didn't look a bad sort--_for_ a gov'nor.--Now I reflexes, I heerd Mattie spoony on some father or other, afore. O Lord! I'll get Jim and Jack to help me look out for him. (_Enter_ THOMAS.) Lor' ha' mussy!--talk o' the old un!--I'm wery peticlar glad as I found you, daddy. I been a lookin' for ye--leastways I was a goin' to look for ye this wery moment as you turns up. I chaffed you like a zorologicle monkey yesterday, daddy, an' I'm wery sorry. But you see fathers ain't nice i' this 'ere part o' the continent. (_Enter_ JAMES, _in plain clothes, watching them_.) They ain't no good nohow to nobody. If _I_ wos a husband and a father, I don't know as how I should be A One, myself. P'r'aps I might think it wur my turn to break arms and legs. I knowed more 'n one father as did. It's no wonder the boys is a plaguy lot, daddy. _Tho._ Goo away, boy. Dosto yer, aw've seen so mich wickedness sin' aw coom to Lon'on, that aw dunnot knaw whether to breighk thi yed, or to goo wi' tho? There be thieves and there be robbers. _Bill_. Never fear, daddy. You ain't worth robbin' of, I don't think. _Tho._ How dosto knaw that? Aw've moore 'n I want to lose abeawt mo. _Bill_. Then Mattie 'ill have som'at to eat--will she, daddy? _Tho._ Som'at to eight, boy! Be mo Mattie hungry--dun yo think? _Bill_. Many and many's the time, daddy. _Tho._ Yigh--afore her dinner! _Bill_. And after it too, daddy. _Tho._ O Lord!--And what does hoo do when hoo 's hungry? _Bill_. Grins and bears it. Come and see her, daddy? _Tho._ O Lord! Mo Mattie, an' nothin' to eight! Goo on, boy. Aw'm beawn to follow yo. Tak mo wheer yo like. Aw'll goo. _Bill_. Come along then, daddy. _James (collaring him_). Hullo, young un! You're the rascal as stole the suvering: _I_ saw you! _Bill_. Dunno what you're up to. I never stole nothink. _James_. Oh no! of course not! What's that in yer fist now? (_Catches_ BILL'S _hand, and forces it open_.) There! BILL _drops his stool on_ JAMES'S _foot, throws up the coin, catches it with his other hand, and puts it in his mouth_. _Tho._ Theighur! Theighur! The like ov that! Aw're agooin wi' a thief--aw wur! _Bill_. Never you mind, daddy. It wur guv to me. _James_. That's what they allus says, sir.--You come along.--I'd be obliged to you, sir, if you would come too, and say you saw him. _Tho._ Nay! aw connot say aw seigh him steyle it. _James_. You saw it in his hand. _Tho._ Yigh! aw did. _Bill_. It wis guv to me, I tell ye.