“What watch?” he says, looking as innocent as a child.
“The watch I see you take from the gentleman’s pocket,” I answered.
“It’s no good shirking it! I seed you with my own eyes, and you don’t get off this time, I can tell you, my beauty.”
“All right!” he says. “Search my pockets and take the watch for yourself, copper! I can’t say fairer than that, can I!”
Looseley, who had joined in the chase, had come up with us by that time, and together we rummaged the whole of Rummles’ clothes. But not a sign of the watch could we find anywhere. And yet I knew I had not been mistaken, but had seen the glimmer of the gold chain in his hand.
“Go on!” exclaimed Rummles, sarcastically; “why don’t yer take the ticker out? What’s the trouble? P’r’aps it’s in my boots or up the sleeve of my coat! You’re a fine copper, you are, not to be able to shake it out.”
But though we did look in his boots and up his sleeves and all over him, we couldn’t find the watch. I began to think my eyes had deceived me, but Looseley, who was a much older hand than myself, was not a bit put out.
“He’s got accomplices,” he said; “they all have, and he’s passed it on to one of his pals. Don’t you let go of him, Challice, and I’ll search this young man and woman,” pointing to Nick and Nan, who were standing by, open-mouthed with horror at the accusation we had made against Rummles.
“No, no, Looseley, it ain’t either of them. I know these young people,” I says quickly, “and they’re quite respectable.”
“All the same I’ll search them,” replied Looseley, and as he was my senior I had no power to stop him. But, as he approached Nan (who was shrinking back against the wall), Nick sprang at him like a young lion.