He had been in the Saffrons on Saturday afternoon and had seen Ernie coming down the hill from Old Town. Having a message to give him he had started to meet him. Ernie had gone up the steps of his brother's house; and as he did so, Alf had leaned out of the upper window and thrown a jug down on his brother.
Alf's solicitor cross-examined the engineer at some length.
"What were you doing on the Saffrons?"
"Watching the football."
"You were watching the football; and yet you saw Caspar coming down Church Street?"
"I did."
"I suggest that you did nothing of the sort; and that you only appeared on the scene at the last moment."
"Well," retorted Joe, good-humouredly. "A don't blame you for that. It's what you're paid to suggest."
A witness who was to have given evidence for Alf did not appear; and the Bench agreed without retiring. Neither of the brothers had been up before the magistrates before and both were let off with a caution, Ernie having to pay costs.
"Your tongue's altogether too long, Alfred Caspar," said Mr. Pigott, the Chairman, and added—quite unjudicially—"always was. And you're altogether too free with your fists, Ernest Caspar."