“Well, it’s like this. I’m the detective.”
“Ho!” said the foreman satirically. “Detective and thief in one, eh? Vurry ’appy combination, I must say.”
“See here,” said the other, annoyed at the incredulous tone, “I’ll take off this beard and then you can some of you identify me.”
As he did so the foreman held up his hand lamp, examining the features carefully.
“Do any of you chaps recognise him?”
The staff replied at once that to the best of their belief they had never before in this world set eyes on him.
“Don’t play the goat,” he urged anxiously. “We’ve all got our duties to perform.”
“That’s true; we shall ’ave to lock you up for the night.”
“Right you are,” said the other gleefully. “Take me round to the nearest police station and then—”
“That would mean losing our last train ’ome,” pointed out the foreman.