The prisoners begged hard for tobacco of persons on the platform, and that, as well as money, was handed to them.
“Oh, I say, master,” cried one, addressing himself to a young man of the Dundreary type, “can you spare us that paper when you have done with it?”
“Certainly, it is at your service,” replied the gentleman, handing the newspaper to the other.
“It’s against the rules,” observed the warder. “Prisoners are not allowed to read newspapers.”
“Only for this once.”
“No, it’s against the rules.”
“But we are not in prison now. Mayn’t a cove have a squint at the news while he’s in the train?”
“Ah, let him have the newspaper; you can make him give it up before the train reaches its destination, you know,” said the gentleman to the warder.
“I don’t like to be too hard with them, but it’s against the rules,” replied the warder, walking away.
The prisoner thrust the paper into his pocket, and no further notice was taken of the action.