“It is not jewelry you want?” he said.
“No,” answered Ethan.
Again the man laughed.
“I knew it,” he said. “It is clothing—clothing such as most citizens of London wear—clothing that will pass you in the crowd along with the thousand and one others and will cause no man to look at you twice.”
He leered at them knowingly; and Dale said,
“You are a wise man, friend; so let us see these garments of which you speak.”
The man promptly spread many suits of more or less worn clothing before them.
“Youth,” spoke he, sagely, as they were selecting, “is ever desiring a change. They are not satisfied with the dull life they lead—and so go into the navy, or army. And,” with a chuckle of malice, “they grow tired of that very soon, as a rule; and then they come to me, change their clothes and slip away.”
“You think us deserters, then,” said Ethan.
“My son, I think nothing. I take your money and give you the goods you buy. I never question my customers. But,” with one dirty finger laid alongside his nose, “I sometimes hazard a guess.”