moment, and then began to laugh--an odd sort of laugh that hurt, and
that felt much more like crying. His pockets were empty. So were the
pockets of the others. For of course at sunset all the fairy gold had
vanished away.

"Turn out your pockets, and stop that noise," said the inspector.

Cyril turned out his pockets, every one of the nine which enriched his
suit. And every pocket was empty.

"Well!" said the inspector.

"I don't know how they done it--artful little beggars! They walked in
front of me the 'ole way, so as for me to keep my eye on them and not to
attract a crowd and obstruct the traffic."

"It's very remarkable," said the inspector, frowning.

"If you've done a-browbeating of the innocent children," said Martha,
"I'll hire a private carriage and we'll drive home to their papa's
mansion. You'll hear about this again, young man!--I told you they
hadn't got any gold, when you were pretending to see it in their poor
helpless hands. It's early in the day for a constable on duty not to be
able to trust his own eyes. As to the other one, the less said the
better; he keeps the Saracen's Head, and he knows best what his liquor's
like."

[Illustration: He said, "Now then!" to the policeman and Mr. Peasemarsh]

"Take them away, for goodness' sake," said the inspector crossly. But as