It was characteristic that he made ‘Ern’ into ‘Ernie’, a name that Ern would never have answered to. (All the same, it was nice to reflect that Ern had not given him a false name; probably he had used one for his dealings with the thieves, and kept his real one for genuine relationships.)

‘Not in the game yourself by any chance?’ the young man went on in a light casual tone.

‘Game?’

‘Don’t get me wrong. I don’t mean what he was pinched for. I mean the straight side of it. Export delivery driving.’

Charles shook his head. The other waited for him to say how, in that case, he had met Ern, but he said nothing. It was not the fellow’s business.

The tall man took the hint.

‘Well, must be getting on. I just came over to see the trial because I used to know Ernie on the job, and I knew the lads would be interested to hear how he got on. We liked him.’

He nodded and began to stride away. Charles suddenly realized that a door was swinging to. In another second it would slam, and one possible way out would be barred. Whoever this man was, he was making money. If he chose he could, doubtless, move in circles not far below those inhabited by the Rodericks. He would probably never have condescended to start a conversation if Charles had been wearing his working clothes and pushing his cart.

‘I say!’ he heard himself croak.

The gangling frame halted, and turned.

‘I’m—well, interested, in what you were saying,’ Charles brought out. ‘About the job, I mean. I mean, I often wondered what Ern—you know—’

‘It doesn’t do to wonder too much, old boy,’ came the answer in a light pattering tone. Charles writhed, conscious of a deep shame that his plight forced him to associate with people who called other people ‘old boy’. ‘But if you’re interested in the job, I don’t say we couldn’t talk turkey over a pot.’

‘All right,’ said Charles. ‘At least we can go and have’—he was going to say ‘a drink’, but remembered in time to call it ‘a pot’. It would help to win the fellow’s confidence if he showed that he could talk the same vile jargon.

‘Lead me to it, old boy,’ said the gangling man.

‘This way, old boy,’ said Charles.

V

V