Brightly was glad to hear it, though he did not say so. It was good to find a partner who would enter into an alliance with him against the fat constable, the Bench of Magistrates, and all the wigs and ermine of oppression. Here was another Ju, a human being this time, and perhaps she too had been sentenced to be destroyed because she was savage, and was trying to hide from the constable and the crowd. Brightly was prepared to show her all sorts of secret places where she would be safe.
"Be yew a criminal tu?" he asked.
Thomasine was not sure, but thought she must be.
"I be one. I be the worst criminal on Dartmoor," said Brightly, trying to draw himself up and look conceited. He had never done any good in his business, but as a criminal he was entitled to regard himself as a complete success.
"I ain't got no friends. My volks wun't ha' me to home, and I've lost my character," said Thomasine.
"I never had no friends, nor volks, nor yet character," said Brightly.
"You'm the man what went to prison for robbing Varmer Chegwidden," she said, using her memory with some success.
"Dree months wi' hard labour," said Brightly proudly.
"Yew never done it. I know who done it. 'Twas Varmer Pendoggat," she said.
"I thought mebbe I might ha' done it and never knowed," explained Brightly. "Why didn't 'em tak' he then?"