“’As you found ’im whom you loves, mum?” questioned Flo once; but the little woman shook her head, and shook it so sorrowfully that Flo ventured to say no more.
It was quite dusk when they got to London, or rather to the outskirts of London, for they went very slowly, and often paused on the road.
By this time they were quite a vast army, fresh tramps arriving to swell their ranks each moment.
Here too they were met by numbers of Londoners who had not gone to the races, but who now thronged the footways to see them return.
At one particular angle of the road these crowds congregated so thickly that for a few moments there was quite a block, and neither multitude could proceed.
As Flo stood by her companion’s side, two boys pushed quickly and roughly against her.
They did not recognise or look at her, but she did them—they were Jenks and Dick. She was quite overjoyed at seeing them so near her, but how funny they looked! or rather, how funny Dick looked! His face was blackened, and he had on a false nose; he carried a little fiddle which he capered about with, and pushing his way fearlessly into the very heart of the throng, made altogether such a droll appearance that many people looked at him, and laughed very heartily, and shied him halfpence Jenks, on the contrary, was grave and sober, no one minding him.
But suddenly, while all eyes and tongues were eagerly greeting some fresh arrivals, Flo observed Dick give a red-faced, stout old gentleman a tremendous push, and quick as lightning Jenks had his hand in the old man’s pocket, and out had come his purse and gold watch.
And before the terrified and astonished child had time to utter an exclamation, or to draw a breath, Police Constable 21 B. laid his hand heavily on Jenks’ shoulders, and with the other drawing Dick towards him, informed them both that they were his prisoners.