Dear Bill,—I have seen Cheeks. You must meet us at the old mushroom faker’s at eleven; if not there go to the old padding ken—bring all your screws. The case of a bloak is planted, to be cracked, plenty of finnips, also some long tailed ones; be mum with your joiner, fight cocum, and be cocum with boozing kens, only a bloak and a shikster in the case, except a pig. Be cocum crabshells; a goun off was last week booked by a fly through crabs. I have seen a kidsman, who will fence two finnips three finnips. There are no flys about.
TRANSLATION.
Dear William,—I have seen “Cheeks” (a flash name for an accomplice), and you must meet us at the old umbrella mender’s at eleven o’clock, and if we are not there go to the old lodging house. Bring with you all your housebreaking instruments. We have arranged to break the house of a gentleman who has plenty of five pound notes, and also some large bank notes. Be sure you do not name this to your fancy girl. Be careful what you do, and keep from drinking shops. There is nothing in the house but a gentleman and a lady and another person. Do not put on your own shoes, a brother thief did last week and was taken by a policeman. I have seen a person who trains boys to thieve, who will take all the five pound notes at ten pounds for fifteen. There are no policemen in the neighbourhood.
The den of mystery to which Laura Stanbridge had paid a visit contained ruffians of every conceivable description.
Lolling in an arm-chair behind the table, with a huge junk of bread and meat in one hand, and a glass of gin and water in the other, and a short black pipe in his mouth, was a burly ruffian, with strength written in his brawny arms and broad shoulders and prominent heaving chest, with villainy in his deep hollow eyes and his cropped black whiskers and eyebrows, which were half an inch apart.
This was the cracksman—a famous burglar, and a pal of the Smoucher in all the lays which the latter devised and the former accomplished.
This huge miscreant had been at one time a boon companion and accomplice of Gregson, whom he resembled in a remarkable degree.
The untimely end of the Bristol Badger failed to have the slightest effect in turning this callous criminal from his evil ways.
“Now, young man,” said the Smoucher, looking up from his papers, “you said you could read, I think?”
“Yes, a little, sir. I’ve been to school.”