“Bravo!” said Harry.
“Look’ee here,” said Jack Outofwork, “we’ve had a werry pleasant evenin’ together, and I ain’t goin’ to part like this ’ere; no more walkin’ about looking arter jobs for me, I’m your man, sergeant.”
“Well,” said the sergeant, eyeing his company, “I didn’t expect this; a pluckier lot o’ chaps I never see; and I’m sure when the Queen sees you it’ll be the proudest moment of her life. Why, how tall do you stand, Mr. Lazyman?”
“Six foot one,” said he.
“Ha,” said the Sergeant, “I thought so. And you, Mr. Outofwork?”
“I don’t rightly know,” said Jack.
“Well,” said the sergeant, “just stand up by the side of me—ha, that will do,” he added, pretending to take an accurate survey, “I think I can squeeze you in—it will be a tight fit though.”
“I hope you can, Mr. Sergeant,” said he.
“Look ’ere,” laughed Joe; “We’ll kitch ’old of his legs and give him a stretch, won’t us, Sergeant?”
And so the bright shillings were given, and the pretty maid’s services were again called in; and she said “she never see sich a lot o’ plucky fellows in her born days;” and all were about to depart when, as the sergeant was shaking hands with Dick Devilmecare in the most pathetic and friendly manner, as though he were parting from a brother whom he had not met for years, Devilmecare’s eyes filled with tears, and he exclaimed,