"D'you think I've
got nothing better to do than to stand ringing your bell for three-
quarters of an hour? Some people would report you."
"I know my dooty," I ses; "there's no craft up to-night, and no reason
for anybody to come to my bell. If I was to open the gate every time a
parcel of overgrown boys rang my bell I should 'ave enough to do."
"Well, I'll overlook it this time, seeing as you're an old man and
couldn't get another sleeping-in job," he ses, looking at the policeman
for him to see 'ow clever 'e was. "Wot about that tanner? That's wot
I've come for."
"You be off," I ses, starting to shut the wicket. "You won't get no
tanner out of me."
"All right," he ses, "I shall stand here and go on ringing the bell till
you pay up, that's all."
He gave it another tug, and the policeman instead of locking 'im up for
it stood there laughing.
I gave 'im the tanner. It was no use standing there arguing over a
tanner, with a purse of twelve quid waiting for me in the dock, but I
told 'im wot people thought of 'im.
"Arf a second, watchman," ses the policeman, as I started to shut the
wicket agin.
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