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station　for　the　Swell　Mob。　　As　I　mentioned；　when　we　were　talking

about　these　things　before；　we　are　ready　at　the　station　when　there's

races；　or　an　Agricultural　Show；　or　a　Chancellor　sworn　in　for　an

university；　or　Jenny　Lind；　or　anything　of　that　sort；　and　as　the

Swell　Mob　come　down；　we　send　'em　back　again　by　the　next　train。　　But

some　of　the　Swell　Mob；　on　the　occasion　of　this　Derby　that　I　refer

to；　so　far　kidded　us　as　to　hire　a　horse　and　shay；　start　away　from

London　by　Whitechapel；　and　miles　round；　come　into　Epsom　from　the

opposite　direction；　and　go　to　work；　right　and　left；　on　the　course；

while　we　were　waiting　for　'em　at　the　Rail。　　That；　however；　ain't

the　point　of　what　I'm　going　to　tell　you。



'While　Witchem　and　me　were　waiting　at　the　station；　there　comes　up

one　Mr。　Tatt；　a　gentleman　formerly　in　the　public　line；　quite　an

amateur　Detective　in　his　way；　and　very　much　respected。　　〃Halloa；

Charley　Wield；〃　he　says。　　〃What　are　you　doing　here？　　On　the　look

out　for　some　of　your　old　friends？〃　　〃Yes；　the　old　move；　Mr。　Tatt。〃

〃Come　along；〃　he　says；　〃you　and　Witchem；　and　have　a　glass　of

sherry。〃　　〃We　can't　stir　from　the　place；〃　says　I；　〃till　the　next

train　comes　in；　but　after　that；　we　will　with　pleasure。〃　　Mr。　Tatt

waits；　and　the　train　comes　in；　and　then　Witchem　and　me　go　off　with

him　to　the　Hotel。　　Mr。　Tatt　he's　got　up　quite　regardless　of

expense；　for　the　occasion；　and　in　his　shirt…front　there's　a

beautiful　diamond　prop；　cost　him　fifteen　or　twenty　pound　…　a　very

handsome　pin　indeed。　　We　drink　our　sherry　at　the　bar；　and　have　had

our　three　or　four　glasses；　when　Witchem　cries　suddenly；　〃Look　out；

Mr。　Wield！　stand　fast！〃　and　a　dash　is　made　into　the　place　by　the

Swell　Mob　…　four　of　'em　…　that　have　come　down　as　I　tell　you；　and　in

a　moment　Mr。　Tatt's　prop　is　gone！　　Witchem；　he　cuts　'em　off　at　the

door；　I　lay　about　me　as　hard　as　I　can；　Mr。　Tatt　shows　fight　like　a

good　'un；　and　there　we　are；　all　down　together；　heads　and　heels；

knocking　about　on　the　floor　of　the　bar　…　perhaps　you　never　see　such

a　scene　of　confusion！　　However；　we　stick　to　our　men　（Mr。　Tatt　being

as　good　as　any　officer）；　and　we　take　'em　all；　and　carry　'em　off　to

the　station。'　　The　station's　full　of　people；　who　have　been　took　on

the　course；　and　it's　a　precious　piece　of　work　to　get　'em　secured。

However；　we　do　it　at　last；　and　we　search　'em；　but　nothing's　found

upon　'em；　and　they're　locked　up；　and　a　pretty　state　of　heat　we　are

in　by　that　time；　I　assure　you！



'I　was　very　blank　over　it；　myself；　to　think　that　the　prop　had　been

passed　away；　and　I　said　to　Witchem；　when　we　had　set　'em　to　rights；

and　were　cooling　ourselves　along　with　Mr。　Tatt；　〃we　don't　take　much

by　THIS　move；　anyway；　for　nothing's　found　upon　'em；　and　it's　only

the　braggadocia；　（2）　after　all。〃　　〃What　do　you　mean；　Mr。　Wield？〃

says　Witchem。　　〃Here's　the　diamond　pin！〃　and　in　the　palm　of　his

hand　there　it　was；　safe　and　sound！　　〃Why；　in　the　name　of　wonder；〃

says　me　and　Mr。　Tatt；　in　astonishment；　〃how　did　you　come　by　that？〃

〃I'll　tell　you　how　I　come　by　it；〃　says　he。　　〃I　saw　which　of　'em

took　it；　and　when　we　were　all　down　on　the　floor　together；　knocking

about；　I　just　gave　him　a　little　touch　on　the　back　of　his　hand；　as　I

knew　his　pal　would；　and　he　thought　it　WAS　his　pal；　and　gave　it　me！〃

It　was　beautiful；　beau…ti…ful！



'Even　that　was　hardly　the　best　of　the　case；　for　that　chap　was　tried

at　the　Quarter　Sessions　at　Guildford。　　You　know　what　Quarter

Sessions　are；　sir。　　Well；　if　you'll　believe　me；　while　them　slow

justices　were　looking　over　the　Acts　of　Parliament；　to　see　what　they

could　do　to　him；　I'm　blowed　if　he　didn't　cut　out　of　the　dock　before

their　faces！　　He　cut　out　of　the　dock；　sir；　then　and　there；　swam

across　a　river；　and　got　up　into　a　tree　to　dry　himself。　　In　the　tree

he　was　took　…　an　old　woman　having　seen　him　climb　up　…　and　Witchem's

artful　touch　transported　him！'





III。　…　THE　SOFA





〃What　young　men　will　do；　sometimes；　to　ruin　themselves　and　break

their　friends'　hearts；'　said　Sergeant　Dornton；　'it's　surprising！　　I

had　a　case　at　Saint　Blank's　Hospital　which　was　of　this　sort。　　A　bad

case；　indeed；　with　a　bad　end！



'The　Secretary；　and　the　House…Surgeon；　and　the　Treasurer；　of　Saint

Blank's　Hospital；　came　to　Scotland　Yard　to　give　information　of

numerous　robberies　having　been　committed　on　the　students。　　The

students　could　leave　nothing　in　the　pockets　of　their　great…coats；

while　the　great…coats　were　hanging　at　the　hospital；　but　it　was

almost　certain　to　be　stolen。　　Property　of　various　descriptions　was

constantly　being　lost；　and　the　gentlemen　were　naturally　uneasy

about　it；　and　anxious；　for　the　credit　of　the　institution；　that　the

thief　or　thieves　should　be　discovered。　　The　case　was　entrusted　to

me；　and　I　went　to　the　hospital。



'〃Now；　gentlemen；〃　said　I；　after　we　had　talked　it　over；　〃I

understand　this　property　is　usually　lost　from　one　room。〃



'Yes；　they　said。　　It　was。



'〃I　should　wish；　if　you　please；〃　said　I；　〃to　see　the　room。〃



'It　was　a　good…sized　bare　room　down…stairs；　with　a　few　tables　and

forms　in　it；　and　a　row　of　pegs；　all　round；　for　hats　and　coats。



'〃Next；　gentlemen；〃　said　I；　〃do　you　suspect　anybody？〃



'Yes；　they　said。　　They　did　suspect　somebody。　　They　were　sorry　to

say；　they　suspected　one　of　the　porters。



'〃I　should　like；〃　said　I；　〃to　have　that　man　pointed　out　to　me；　and

to　have　a　little　time　to　look　after　him。〃



'He　was　pointed　out；　and　I　looked　after　him；　and　then　I　went　back

to　the　hospital；　and　said；　〃Now；　gentlemen；　it's　not　the　porter。

He's；　unfortunately　for　himself；　a　little　too　fond　of　drink；　but

he's　nothing　worse。　　My　suspicion　is；　that　these　robberies　are

committed　by　one　of　the　students；　and　if　you'll　put　me　a　sofa　into

that　room　where　the　pegs　are　…　as　there's　no　closet　…　I　think　I

shall　be　able　to　detect　the　thief。　　I　wish　the　sofa；　if　you　please；

to　be　covered　with　chintz；　or　something　of　that　sort；　so　that　I　may

lie　on　my　chest；　underneath　it；　without　being　seen。〃



'The　sofa　was　provided；　and　next　day　at　eleven　o'clock；　before　any

of　the　students　came；　I　went　there；　with　those　gentlemen；　to　get

underneath　it。　　It　turned　out　to　be　one　of　those　old…fashioned

sofas　with　a　great　cross…beam　at　the　bottom；　that　would　have　broken

my　back　in　no　time　if　I　could　ever　have　got　below　it。　　We　had　quite

a　job　to　break　all　this　away　in　the　time；　however；　I　fell　to　work；

and　they　fell　to　work；　and　we　broke　it　out；　and　made　a　clear　place

for　me。　　I　got　under　the　sofa；　lay　down　on　my　chest；　took　out　my

knife；　and　made　a　convenient　hole　in　the　chintz　to　look　through。

It　was　then　settled　between　me　and　the　gentlemen　that　when　the

students　were　all　up　in　the　wards；　one　of　the　gentlemen　should　come

in；　and　hang　up　a　great…coat　on　one　of　the　pegs。　　And　that　that

great…coat　should　have；　in　one　of　the　pockets；　a　pocket…book

containing　marked　money。



'After　I　had　been　there　some　time；　the　students　began　to　drop　into

the　room；　by　ones；　and　twos；　and　threes；　and　to　talk　about　all

sorts　of　things；　little　thinking　there　was　anybody　under　the　sofa　…

and　then　to　go　up…stairs。　　At　last　there　came　in　one　who　remained

until　he　was　alone　in　the　room　by　himself。　　A　tallish；　good…looking

young　man　of　one　or　two　and　twenty；　with　a　light　whisker。　　He　went

to　a　particular　hat…peg；　took　off　a　good　hat　that　was　hanging

there；　tried　it　on；　hung　his　own　hat　in　its　place；　and　hung　that

hat　on　another　peg；　nearly　opposite　to　me。　　I　then　felt　quite

certain　that　he　was　the　thief；　and　would　come　back　by…and…by。



'When　they　were　all　up…stairs；　the　gentleman　came　in　with　the

great…coat。　　I　showed　him　where　to　hang　it；　so　that　I　might　have　a

good　view　of　it；　and　he　went　away；　and　I　lay　under　the　sofa　on　my

chest；　for　a　couple　of　hours　or　so；　waiting。



'At　last；　the　same　young　man　came　down。　　He　walked　across　the　room；

whistling　…　stopped　and　listened　…　took　another　walk　and　whistled　…

stopped　again；　and　listened　…　then　began　to　go　regularly　round　the

pegs；　feeling　in　the　pockets　of　all　the　coats。　　When　he　came　to　the

great…coat；　and　felt　the　pocket…book；　he　was　so　eager　and　so

hurried　that　he　broke　the　strap　in　tearing　it　open。　　As　he　began　to

put　the　money　in　his　pocket；　I　crawled　out　from　under　the　sofa；　and

his　eyes　met　mine。



'My　face；　as　you　may　perceive；　is　brown　now；　but　it　was　pale　at

that　time；　my　health　not　being　good；　and　looked　as　long　as　a

horse's。　　Besides　which；　there　was　a　great　draught　of　air　from　the

door；　underneath　the　sofa；　and　I　had　tied　a　handkerchief　round　my

head；　so　what　I　looked　like；　altogether；　I　don't　know。　　He　turned

blue　…　literally　blue　…　when　he　saw　me　crawling　out；　and　I　couldn't

feel　surprised　at　it。



'〃I　am　an　officer　of　the　Detective　Police；〃　said　I；　〃and　have　been

lying　here；　since　you　first　came　in　this　morning。　　I　regret；　for

the　sake　of　yourself　and　your　friends；　that　you　should　have　done

what　you　have；　but　this　case　is　complete。　　You　have　the　pocket…book

in　your　hand　and　the　money　upon　you；　and　I　must　take　you　into

custody！〃



'It　was　impossible　to　make　out　any　case　in　his　behalf；　and　on　his

trial　he　pleaded　guilty。　　How　or　when　he　got　the　means　I　don't

know；　but　while　he　was　awaiting　his　sentence；　he　poisoned　himself

in　Newgate。'



We　inquired　of　this　officer；　on　the　conclusion　of　the　foregoing

anecdote；　whether　the　time　appeared　long；　or　short；　when　he　lay　in

that　constrained　position　under　the　sofa？



'Why；　you　see；　sir；'　he　replied；　'if　he　hadn't　come　in；　the　first

time；　and　I　had　not　been　quite　sure　he　was　the　thief；　and　would

return；　the　time　would　have　seemed　long。　　But；　as　it　was；　I　being

dead　certain　of　my　man；　the　time　seemed　pretty　short。'







ON　DUTY　WITH　INSPECTOR　FIELD







HOW　goes　the　night？　　Saint　Giles's　clock　is　striking　nine。　　The

weather　is　dull　and　wet；　and　the　long　lines　of　street　lamps　are

blurred；　as　if　we　saw　them　through　tears。　　A　damp　wind　blows　and

rakes　the　pie