He looked carefully at the two sovereigns lying on the bit of old cloth
which covered the bottom of the box, and the one half-crown that Timothy
had forgotten; he took up the bit of cloth and shook it, he felt along
the edge of the box, he examined the wrenched lock. Then he stood for an
instant, his hand on the box, his eyes staring straight before him in a
kind of dream.

Saunders grew impatient. He pushed John aside, and came to the table,
leaning his hands upon it, so as to command Isaac's face.

'Now, look 'ere, Isaac,' he said, in a different voice from any that he
had yet employed, 'let's come to business. These 'ere are the facks o'
this case, an 'ow we're a-goin to get over 'em, I don see. John leaves
his money in your cupboard. Yo an he lock it up, an John goes away with
'is keys 'ung roun 'is neck. Yo agree to that? Well and good. But
there's _another_ key in your 'ouse, Isaac, as opens John's cupboard.
Ah--'

He waved his hand in deprecation of Isaac's movement.

'I dessay yo didn't know nowt about it--that's noather 'ere nor there.
Yo try John's key in that there door'--he pointed to the cupboard by the
fire--'an yo'll find it fits _ex_--act. Then, thinks I, where's the key
as belongs to that 'ere cupboard? An John an I goes upstairs to look
about us, an in noa time at aw, I sees a 'ole in the skirtin. I whips in
my finger--lor bless yer! I knew it wor there the moment I sets eyes on
the hole.'

He held up the key triumphantly. By this time, no Old Bailey lawyer