“No; but, Lord bless me! what defence is there?”

Rawton looked down upon the ground, and shook his head.

“Not much,” said he.

“I make up my mind for a long lagging—​that’s bound to follow as a natural consequence—​and if the ‘bobby’ had died I should have had something worse.”

“Ah, but he has recovered—​there is no doubt about that,” returned Bill, quietly.

Peace nodded significantly, and said, “So I hear.”

“Be thankful for that.”

“I am thankful.”

“And I say, Charlie,” whispered Rawton, as he put his face closer to the iron bars, “I saw Lorrie the day before yesterday.”

“Yes. What did she say?”