When Dick had finished, Sir Thomas Arkell, the senior magistrate, a tall, stout man with bristling moustache, leaning forward, said, "I congratulate you on the way in which you have given your evidence, my lad." And the compliment was well deserved. Martin, the tobacconist, then identified Bryant as the boy who had paid him the marked shilling, and the officers deposed to searching the prisoners and finding the florin on Peters. No one had any doubt of their guilt, but several people thought Jim very lucky in not having been placed with them. However, Curly did not quite despair of getting off. Certainly he would leave his accomplice in the lurch, but that misfortune he was prepared to bear philosophically. "I didn’t steal the money!" he protested energetically, "and I didn’t know it was stole. It will teach me a lesson, though, to mind who I takes up with another time. This all comes of being pals with Sam Bryant. Last night I met him in West Street. He said he had won some money on a race, and asked me to mind a two-shilling piece. He said he durstn’t take it home for fear his father would nab it. And that’s the solemn truth, gentlemen! Why, I’d no more think of stealing a penny than of swallowing it!" Now, fortunately for Jim, Curly’s frantic effort to save himself roused Bryant from his stupor. Hitherto he had displayed no interest in the proceedings, but now, glaring savagely at his companion, he exclaimed in a shrill voice, "Oh, that’s it, is it? I am to bear all the blame, am I? Well, then, I’ll just tell the truth. Curly made friends with Jim Hartland on purpose to get him to rob the till. Curly sounded him several times, but could make nothing of him, so we agreed to do it ourselves. We went in two or three times before, but didn’t get much. Last night seemed a good chance, and Curly agreed to get Hartland out of the way. I got three and ninepence altogether, and out of that Curly gave Hartland sixpence that he owed him. I ain’t going to prison by myself, when Curly Peters had more to do with it than me!" "I told you it would come out!" whispered Dick to his chum. The magistrates consulted together for a few minutes, and then the two prisoners were remanded, with a view to being sent to a reformatory. As this was the last case set down for hearing, the people began to leave the court; and Mr. Broad, turning to Jim with a smiling face, said,— "I am glad you have come out of it so well, Hartland. I am sorry I suspected you at all, but at one time things looked rather black against you, eh? However, you’ve had your lesson, and I hope you will profit by it. By the way, I shall be glad if you can come an hour earlier this afternoon. This wretched business has thrown the work back a good deal." "Are you going to keep me on, sir?" asked Jim, who could scarcely believe his own ears.