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Updated: May 12, 2025
Stephen acceded and landed, and Loman paddled on to the lock. "Hello, maister," called down a feeble old voice, as he got up to the gate. "Hullo, Jeff, is Cripps about?" replied Loman. "Yas; he be inside or somewheres, maister," replied the old lock-keeper. "All right! take the boat up; I want to see Cripps." Cripps was the son of the old man whom Loman had addressed as Jeff.
It was at this critical juncture that Loman reappeared on the scene, much consoled to have the interview with Cripps over, and quite ready now to hear every one lament his absence from the match. The last man in was Webster, a small Fifth boy, who in the last innings had signalised himself by making a duck's-egg.
Not that Loman knew anything about racing matters, but Cripps had been so confident, and it seemed so safe to bet against this one particular horse, that the idea of events turning out otherwise had never once entered his head. He went to the door and shouted for Stephen, who presently appeared with a paper dart in his hand.
"You see, Mister," said he, "I don't like a-getting young folk into trouble, but when it comes to robbing a man downright, why, I considers it my dooty to give your governor the tip and let him know." Mr Rastle had no opinion to offer on this question of morals. What he wanted to know was whether Cripps had seen the boy that day, or had the slightest idea what had become of him.
"Well," said Loman, "I suppose I must. Where is he?" "Wait here a minute, and I'll bring him round." Loman waited, racked by a sense of ignominy and terror. Yet this seemed his only hope. Could he but get this 20 pounds and pay off Cripps he would be happy. Oh, how he repented listening to that first temptation to deceive!
Though he had in one way and another paid off all his debt to the landlord of the Cockchafer but eight pounds, still he knew Cripps could make himself quite as unpleasant about eight pounds as about thirty pounds, and probably would. But as long as the Doctor was away it didn't matter so much.
And they they had called themselves my friends. When I went back to them they welcomed me. Mr. Cripps called me his 'prodigal daughter, and Mrs. Cripps prayed over me. It wasn't until I told them I had no 'inheritance, except one of debt, that they began to show me what they really were. They wouldn't believe it. They said you were trying to defraud me. It was dreadful.
Company which before would have offended him, he now found especially when it flattered him congenial, and words and acts from which in former days he would have shrunk now came naturally. "I shall have to humbug the fellow somehow," said he; "I only wish I knew how;" and then Loman set himself deliberately to invent a lie for Mr Cripps.
"I tell you what," broke in Mr Cripps, in the midst of this meditation, "I don't want to do nothing unpleasant to you, or the governor, or anybody. What I say is, you'd better see this little bill put square among you, and then the thing can be kept quiet, do you see? It would be awkward for you to have a regular shindy about it, my man, but that's what it'll come to if I don't get my money."
CRIPPS, who had remarkable opportunities for observing the habits of the elephant in Ceylon, mentioned to me an instance in which one of a singularly stubborn disposition occasioned some inconvenience after the death of its keeper, by refusing to obey any other, till its attendants bethought them of a child about twelve years old, in a distant village, where the animal had been formerly picketed, and to whom it had displayed much attachment.
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