and the boys all sniggered. Gentleman blinked, then took his eyes from me at last, and leaned to Mrs Sucksby to say,
''Get rid of our friends at the brazier, would you? But keep John and Dainty: I shall want their help.''
Mrs Sucksby hesitated, then glanced at Mr Ibbs; and Mr Ibbs said at once, ''Right, lads, these sovs is sweated so hard, the poor queen''s quite a shadder. Any more of it, we shall be done for treason.'' He took up a pail, and began to drop the hot coins into the water, one by one. ''Listen to them yellow boys cry hush!'' he said. ''The gold knows best. Now, what does the gold know?''
''Go on, Uncle Humphry,'' said Phil. He drew on his coat and turned up his collar. The other boys did the same. ''So long,'' they said, with a nod to me, to John and Dainty and Mrs Sucksby. To Gentleman they said nothing. He watched them go by.
''Watch your back, lads!'' he called, as the door was closed behind them. We heard Phil spit again.
Mr Ibbs turned the key in the lock. Then he came and poured himself a cup of tea—splashing rum in it, as Dainty had for Gentman. The scent of the rum rose on the steam, to mix with the smell of the fire, the sweated gold, the dog-skins, the wet and teaming greatcoat. The rain fell softer upon the grate. John chewed on a peanut, picking shell from his tongue. Mr Ibbs had moved lamps- The table, our faces and hands, showed bright; but the rest of the room was in shadow.