An' while she was a-pickin' of them out--very careful indeed, and I'm always glad when them sort gets a few over-ripe ones--there was two other ladies talkin' over the fence.An' one on 'em said to the other on 'em just like this--"'I've told both gells to come, and they can doss in with M'ria and Jane, 'cause their boss and his missis is miles away and the kids too.So they can just lock up the 'ouse and leave the gas a-burning, so's no one won't know, and get back bright an' early by 'leven o'clock.And we'll make a night of it, Mrs Prosser, so we will.I'm just a-going to run out to pop the letter in the post."And then the lady what had chosen the three ha'porth so careful, she said: "Lor, Mrs Wigson, I wonder at you, and your hands all over suds.This good gentleman'll slip it into the post for yer, I'll be bound, seeing I'm a customer of his." So they give me the letter, and of course I read the direction what was written on it afore I shoved it into the post.And then when I'd sold my barrowful, I was a-goin' 'ome with the chink in my pocket, and I'm blowed if some bloomin' thievin' beggar didn't nick the lot whilst I was just a-wettin' of my whistle, for callin' of oranges is dry work.Nicked the bloomin' lot 'e did--and me with not a farden to take 'ome to my brother and his missus.'
'How awful!' said Anthea, with much sympathy.
'Horful indeed, miss, I believe yer,' the burglar rejoined, with deep feeling.'You don't know her temper when she's roused.An'
I'm sure I 'ope you never may, neither.And I'd 'ad all my oranges off of 'em.So it came back to me what was wrote on the ongverlope, and I says to myself, "Why not, seein' as I've been done myself, and if they keeps two slaveys there must be some pickings?" An' so 'ere I am.But them cats, they've brought me back to the ways of honestness.Never no more.'
'Look here,' said Cyril, 'these cats are very valuable--very indeed.And we will give them all to you, if only you will take them away.'
'I see they're a breedy lot,' replied the burglar.'But I don't want no bother with the coppers.Did you come by them honest now?
Straight?'
'They are all our very own,' said Anthea, 'we wanted them, but the confidement--'
'Consignment,' whispered Cyril.
'was larger than we wanted, and they're an awful bother.If you got your barrow, and some sacks or baskets, your brother's missus would be awfully pleased.My father says Persian cats are worth pounds and pounds each.'
'Well,' said the burglar--and he was certainly moved by her remarks--'I see you're in a hole--and I don't mind lending a helping 'and.I don't ask 'ow you come by them.But I've got a pal--'e's a mark on cats.I'll fetch him along, and if he thinks they'd fetch anything above their skins I don't mind doin' you a kindness.'
'You won't go away and never come back,' said Jane, 'because Idon't think I COULD bear that.'
The burglar, quite touched by her emotion, swore sentimentally that, alive or dead, he would come back.
Then he went, and Cyril and Robert sent the girls to bed and sat up to wait for his return.It soon seemed absurd to await him in a state of wakefulness, but his stealthy tap on the window awoke them readily enough.For he did return, with the pal and the barrow and the sacks.The pal approved of the cats, now dormant in Persian repletion, and they were bundled into the sacks, and taken away on the barrow--mewing, indeed, but with mews too sleepy to attract public attention.
'I'm a fence--that's what I am,' said the burglar gloomily.'Inever thought I'd come down to this, and all acause er my kind 'eart.'
Cyril knew that a fence is a receiver of stolen goods, and he replied briskly--'I give you my sacred the cats aren't stolen.What do you make the time?'
'I ain't got the time on me,' said the pal--'but it was just about chucking-out time as I come by the "Bull and Gate".I shouldn't wonder if it was nigh upon one now.'
When the cats had been removed, and the boys and the burglar had parted with warm expressions of friendship, there remained only the cow.
'She must stay all night,' said Robert.'Cook'll have a fit when she sees her.'
'All night?' said Cyril.'Why--it's tomorrow morning if it's one.
We can have another wish!'
So the carpet was urged, in a hastily written note, to remove the cow to wherever she belonged, and to return to its proper place on the nursery floor.But the cow could not be got to move on to the carpet.So Robert got the clothes line out of the back kitchen, and tied one end very firmly to the cow's horns, and the other end to a bunched-up corner of the carpet, and said 'Fire away.'
And the carpet and cow vanished together, and the boys went to bed, tired out and only too thankful that the evening at last was over.
Next morning the carpet lay calmly in its place, but one corner was very badly torn.It was the corner that the cow had been tied on to.
