There was, of course, the usual haggling—the price the Hebrew offered was too ridiculous for Peace to accept. Then followed the expletives and oaths, without which no bargain of this description could be concluded. At length, however, Peace consented to take seventy pounds for the goods, whereupon the Jew handed down a fifty pound note and twenty sovereigns to our hero, who pocketed the same.
The bargain had hardly been concluded when two persons entered the Jew’s shop. Mr. Simmonds looked through the curtain which hung over the window of the door of the parlour, and uttered an exclamation of surprise.
“What’s up?” cried Peace, in some alarm.
“Two detectives,” was the quick rejoinder.
“The devil!” exclaimed our hero, looking into the shop. “And one of them——”
“Well, what?” ejaculated Simmonds.
“One of the blokes I know; and what is worse he knows me.”
“And wants you?”
Peace nodded significantly.
“Gracious! However, I would not have a customer of mine ‘copped’ in my place; no, not for the world.”