“Beg pardon, sir,” said he, “but have you seen a sight of that chap we was chasin’?”
“I have,” replied Mr Fanshawe. “What do you want with him?”
“Faith,” said Croom, “I want to kitch him.”
“And what do you want to catch him for?” asked Mr Fanshawe.
“You must ax the polis that,” replied the huntsman. “They can bile him, for all I care, all I wants is to kitch him, and if you axes me why, it’s because there’s a hundred pounds reward aginst him, and I’ve a wife and childer.”
“Well, you can go home to your wife and childer, and tell them you’ve lost a hundred pounds to-day, for you’re not going to catch him.”
A blaze came into the eyes of Billy Croom and was smothered.
“I’m not wishful to be disrespectful, sir,” said Billy, “I’m axing you have you seen him?”
“I told you before, I have.”
“And where was that?”