"Well—p'rhaps that's prudent,—'cos I'm official after all," said Mr. Crisp. "But if so be you was to tell me how you got away from transportation, how long you've been in England, and what you've been doing with yourself since your return, I don't see that you could prejjudidge yourself."
"As you've had the trouble of taking me, policeman, you'd better go to the extra trouble of finding out what you want to know about me," said Jem.
"You needn't be uppish with me, because I did my dooty," returned Mr. Crisp. "Remember, I don't ask—but I s'pose you've been living in London—eh?"
"Well—and if I have——"
"There! I knowed you had," cried Crisp.
"I didn't say so," observed Jem Cuffin, angrily.
"No—but you can't deny it, though. Well, then—as you have been living in London, according to your own admission," continued Mr. Crisp, "in course you must have hung out in some partickler quarter. Remember, I don't ask you—but I des say it was in the Holy Land."
"I dare say it wasn't," returned Jem, drily.
"Then it was in the Mint, I'll be bound," cried Crisp. "I don't ask, you know—but wasn't it in the Mint?"
"No—it wasn't," said Crankey Jem, with a movement of impatience.