"Well, I would; but you see, I ain't got the time. When a feller's doin' sich a business ez I am, it keeps him right down to dots," Carrots replied, gravely.
"It's really a pity, the way you must be rushed," the officer said, with a laugh; and, made bold by this apparent friendliness, Carrots ventured to make a request.
"Say, where are you goin' to take him?"
"Down to the station-house, of course."
"Well," said Carrots, "it wouldn't be any harm if I walked alongside of him, an' talked over a little business, would it?"
"It's nothing to me, so long as you don't help him escape."
"You needn't be 'fraid. I wouldn't raise my hand 'gainst you, 'cause you're a pretty good kind of a man; an' that sort is mighty scarce 'round this part of the city."
"I suppose, now that I have won your good opinion, it won't be long before I'm a captain, will it?" the officer asked, laughingly.
"If I had my way, you'd be a general before night; but I ain't standin' in with the commissioners like I ought to be," Carrots said, with mock gravity.
Then—for they were getting dangerously near the station—he whispered to Teddy: