‘Ah’ve catched her i’ t’ act,’ sez he.
‘I’ t’ act o’ what?’ sez Ah.
‘O’ picking this chap’s pocket,’ sez he.
‘Thoo gert dunderknowle!’ sez Ah. ‘Thoo’s deean nowt o’ t’ sooart; that’s her feyther, an’ sha’s nobbut ho’ding on tiv his coaat-taals, seea ez sha dizn’t git hersen lost amang all this thrang. Leeave lowse, an’ let her gan, an’ mak a shift ti leet o’ sumbody ’at’s up ti neea good; or else thoo’ll finnd thysen i’ t’ wrang box, Ah can tell tha.’ An’ wi’ that, Ah marched all t’ three on ’em inti t’ traan, which ’ed just puff’d itsen inti t’ station. Sitting reet i’ t’ front o’ ma, war a young chap wiv a rug ower his knees, potching three cards aboot maist miracklous leyke.
‘What are ya trying foor ti deea?’ sez Ah.
‘Whya, it’s a trick,’ sez he.
‘Whya,’ sez Ah, ‘Ah deean’t see mich ov a trick i’ owt ’at ya’ve deean up ti noo; onny bit baan could hann’l three cards i’ that road. What is ’t ya’re efter?’
‘Whya,’ sez he, ‘it’s a trick ’at Ah seed a chap deeaing yesterdaa, bud Ah’s nut weel up in ’t yet. Ah’s trying ti thraw ’em doon seea ez ya weean’t ken wheer t’ pictur-card tumm’ls.’
‘Oha, that’s it, is’t?’ sez Ah. An’ then Ah sez, ‘Ah’ll tell tha what, thoo’ll ’a’e ti lig ’em doon vastly different ti what thoo ’ez deean up ti noo, afoor thoo’ll mannish ti deea ’t, foor Ah’ve seen wheer it’s tumm’l’d ivvery tahm.’
‘Maist leykely,’ sez he; ‘bud ya knaw it’s ez Ah sed—Ah’s nut t’ maaster on’t yet.’