“Don’t know nuffin,” muttered the boy truculently, for the drink was telling on his weak condition. “If I did, I wouldn’t tell when that cove,” he pointed to Sorley, “lock’d me up.”
“Tell,” said the inspector sharply, “or I’ll box your ears.”
“Sha’n’t, sha’n’t, sha’n’t,” babbled Jotty, “wot I knows is wuth quids, an’ quids I’ll ’ave or say nuffin.”
Sorley scrambled on the floor and swept together some of the gems. “Take these; take these and save my life,” he implored, thrusting them into the boy’s hands. “You wouldn’t tell by force but these are worth money, so——”
Jotty played with the gems and put them into his pocket. “If they’re wuth quids,” he said thickly, “I’ll split.”
“Do you know the truth?” asked Latimer quickly, “I always thought you did.”
“Perhaps you saw the murder committed,” Alan remarked, and they all stared hard at the boy.
“No I didn’t,” snapped Jotty, “but I sees sumthin’, and I think es I kin spot who did it.”
“Who did it then?” demanded Moon impatiently.
“Sha’n’t speak till thet cove does,” muttered Jotty, pointing his chin at Bakche with an obstinate look; “don’t b’leve he knows tho’.”