Rat said nothing.

‘Tell me! How’d yer get so much Happiness, eh? How?’

Albert looked at the stones with interest. So this was Happiness. They were about three inches wide, roughly round and of a strange bluish hue. Other than that, there was nothing very remarkable about them. Kieran was still shouting, ‘—what yer bein’ doin’ with that gang o’ yer’s, Rat! Robbin’? You been robbin’?’

‘I aint been doin’ no robbin’.’

‘Then what yer been doin’, eh? What?’

‘All right, enough,’ said Colby. He looked sternly at the boy. ‘Look, lad, there’s a lot afoot and we’re pretty serious, and you’re pretty suspicious. So either you tell us everything we want to, or I’m going to take you in.’

‘See that?’ howled Kieran. ‘’E’s gonna take you in! The Cap’n, my Cap’n’s gonna take yer in! I’ll kill yer!’

He started forward and was only stopped by Joe grabbing on to him, yanking him backwards. He couldn’t stop him shouting, though, although most of what he said followed the same theme. ‘Kill yer! I’ll kill yer! Murderize yer, I will! Bringin’ shame on the family!’

Albert glanced at Joe, who shrugged, as if to say, ‘At least he doesn’t make art,’ and went back to physically restraining Kieran.

Colby looked at Rat. ‘Well?’

‘Yah!’ said the boy. ‘Ain’t gonna tell yer nothin’, I am!’ He stood up. ‘See that?’ he said proudly, pointing to the band on his arm. ‘Means death ’fore dishonour. I ain’t never ever gonna sing on my bros. Ain’t nothin’ on earth that can make me talk. I’ll die ’fore I say a word. Yer do what yer want. Take me in, I don’t care! Yah!’

Colby looked at him, taken aback. ‘Aren’t you a little too young to be talking like that?’

‘Yah!’ said Rat. ‘Go, on, take me in. I dare yer!’

Kieran had stopped struggling. He signalled to Joe to release him, and he did, but stayed close. Kieran looked at Rat, smiling, but it was the smile of a sadist.

‘Oh, we ain’t gonna take yer in, Rat.’

‘Go on,’ said the boy, now getting into the flow of things. ‘What’s wrong? Yer scared? Take me in!’

‘Oh no,’ said Kieran, still smiling. ‘We ain’t takin’ yer in. In fact, we ain’t takin’ yer anywhere.’

The boy looked at him, suddenly mistrustful. ‘Why not?’

‘’Cos I’m goin’ ter fetch Gran.’

Rat lost about six shades of colour. ‘No!’

‘Yes.’

‘Yer can’t!’

‘I can.’

‘Yer wouldn’t!’

‘I would.’

‘C’mon, Kier, be a sport!’ He was pleading now. ‘Not that! C’mon!’

‘Yer gonna tell us what we wanna know?’

‘No!’

‘All right, I’m gonna get Gran.’

‘All right, wait! Wait!’

He looked at them.

‘I’m waitin’.’