"All right, Carnegie," he remarked hurriedly. "No offence, ole pal!" But Robin turned to Dicky, and the two held a hasty conversation, whose nature I could guess. Dilly could not be exposed to this sort of thing any longer. They began to put on their coats. "They are going to give it up," I said, not without relief. "About time, isn't it? Do you recognise them, Champion?" But Champion, I found, was gone--probably to establish an _alibi_. Perhaps he was right. Questions might be asked in the House about this. When I turned again to the scene below I found that the crowd had thickened considerably, and that the policeman had once more left the traffic to congest itself, and joined in the game. "You must tell that young woman to move on," he said to Dicky, not unkindly. "She's causin' a crowd to collect, and that's a thing she can be give in charge for." "All right," said Dicky hurriedly, "we're all going." The policeman, struck by this sudden anxiety to oblige, became suspicious. "All of you?" he said. "'Ow about this mess in the road?" Robin came to the rescue. "We'll be back presently and sort it," he said reassuringly. "Of course," said Dicky, pulling himself together. "Back in 'arf a tick, governor!" "Don't you go callin' me names," said the policeman, as the spectators indulged in happy laughter. "Sorry!--I mean, certainly!" said Dicky, getting flustered. (I could see Robin glowering at him.) "We are just going down the street a minute. This--er--girl has brought us a bit of bad news. There's been an accident happened--er----" "To her puir old mither," put in Robin, whom I began to suspect of rather enjoying this entertainment for its own sake. This heartrending piece of intelligence touched the crowd, and Coaldust was instantly forward in proposing an informal vote of condolence, which was seconded by a bare-armed lady in a deerstalker cap. But the policeman, evidently roused by our friends' ill-judged and precipitate attempt to strike camp, suddenly produced a pocket-book from his tunic, and said-- "It is my duty to take your names and addresses, together with the name of the firm employing you." This announcement obviously disconcerted Dicky and Robin; for it is one thing to take part in a masquerade, and another to get out of the consequences thereof by cold-drawn lying. However, the policeman was sucking his pencil and waiting, so Dicky said-- "You can get all the information you want from the Borough Surveyor." It was a bold effort, but the policeman merely said-- "Your name, please!" Dicky, fairly cornered, replied-- "Er--Samuel"--I thought at first he was going to say "Inglethwaite," and was prepared to drop a flower-pot on his head if he did; but he continued, with the air of one offering a real bargain at the price--"Phillipps." "Two P's?" inquired the constable. "Three," said Dicky. The policeman rolled a threatening eye upon him. "Be careful!" he said in an awful voice.