Robert said the man was a relation of his father's, and had
been kind to him. We sat down and talked for a time, and then Robert,
who was sitting close to me, moved for something, and put his hand
against my pocket.
"'Hullo!' he said; 'what have you got there?'
"'Nothing,' I said.
"'Oh, haven't you?' and he put his hand in my pocket, and brought out
ten guineas. 'Hullo!' he said; 'where did you get these? You told me
yesterday you had not got a groat. Why, you young villain, you must
have been robbing the till!'
"I was so frightened that I could not say anything, except that I did
not know how they came there and I could swear that I had not touched
the till. I was too frightened to think then, but I have since
thought that the guineas were never in my pocket at all, but were in
Robert's hand.
"'That won't do, boy,' the man said. 'It is clear that you are a
thief. I saw Robert take them from your pocket, and, as an honest
man, it is my duty to take you to your master and tell him what sort
of an apprentice he has. You are young, and you will get off with a
whipping at the pillory, and that will teach you that honesty is the
best policy.'
"So he got his hat and put it on, and took me by the collar as if to
haul me out into the street. I went down on my knees to beg for
mercy, and at last he said that he would keep the matter quiet if I
would swear to do everything that Robert told me; and I was so
frightened that I swore to do so.
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