They talked it over till closing-time, but nobody seemed to know wot to do, and they stood outside in the bitter cold for over arf an hour still trying to make up their minds ‘ow to get that hamper back. Fust one went off ‘ome and then another, and at last, when there was on’y three or four of ‘em left, Henery Walker, wot prided himself on ‘is artfulness, ‘ad an idea.
“One of us must get Bob Pretty up ‘ere to-morrow night and stand ‘im a pint, or p’r’aps two pints,” he ses. “While he’s here two other chaps must ‘ave a row close by his ‘ouse and pretend to fight. Mrs. Pretty and the young ‘uns are sure to run out to look at it, and while they are out another chap can go in quiet-like and get the hamper.”
It seemed a wunnerful good idea, and Bill Chambers said so; and ‘e flattered Henery W
