"
"Then we were watched and dogged," said Hanky, "on Thursday evening."
"That, sir," replied George, "is my business, not yours."
Here Panky laid his arms on the table, buried his head in them, and burst
into tears. Every one seemed aghast, but the Mayor, Yram, and Mrs.
Humdrum saw that George was enjoying it all far too keenly to be serious.
Dr. Downie was still frightened (for George's surface manner was
Rhadamanthine) and did his utmost to console Panky. George pounded away
ruthlessly at his case.
"I say nothing about your having bought quails from the prisoner and
eaten them. As you justly remarked just now, there is no object in
preferring a smaller charge when one must inflict the death penalty on a
more serious one. Still, Professor Hanky, these are bones of the quails
you ate as you sate opposite the prisoner on the side of the fire nearest
Sunch'ston; these are Professor Panky's bones, with which I need not
disturb him. This is your permit, which was found upon the prisoner, and
which there can be no doubt you sold him, having been bribed by the offer
of the nuggets for--"
"Monstrous, monstrous! Infamous falsehood! Who will believe such a
childish trumped up story!"
"Who, sir, will believe anything else? You will hardly contend that you
did not know the nuggets were gold, and no one will believe you mean
enough to have tried to get this poor man's property out of him for a
song--you knowing its value, and he not knowing the same.
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