Chapter 9

STOPPING A BURGLARY.

It was Saturday afternoon and the great machine shops at Lisle & Co.'s were closing for the weekly half holiday. There was to be an important football match at the Marshes outside the town, and the boys and men had talked of little else all the week.

"Art coming, Dick, to see the match?" asked one of the lads, who had seemed inclined to be friendly during the last week or two. "Yon's a grand team ours are going to play."

"To the match? Not he," sneered Hal Smith, who stood near. "He couldn't spare a tanner for gate money, and he's going to stop at home and say his prayers, little dear, because football's wicked, and he's got to get ready for the Sabbath day."

"Nonsense! There's no harm in football. Own up now, Dick, wouldn't you like to see the match?"

"Maybe I should, especially if I could be in it," said Dick, good humouredly.

"Hear him?" shouted Hal in derision, "he wants to be captain of our team, no doubt, the little upstart! Come on, lads, we don't want his company. See, all the others are going."

Soon the tramp of many feet died away, and the yards were left to Saturday's quiet and loneliness.

The throb of the machinery and all the stir and clatter of toil had ceased till midnight on Sunday, when the first shift of workers would begin again.

But Dick felt entirely happy as he took a huge "doorstep" of bread and cheese and a rosy apple from his bag, and began to munch it in the shadow of a great locomotive that stood on the lines, not far from the manager's office.

A few days before this engine had been brought in smoking hot for repairs, and on Monday the work would be finished.

Dick's quick eyes had seen new features in the make of this visitor, and he resolved to use part of his holiday in investigations. Mrs. Garth would be busy with her cleaning and would not need him, and Pat, who was beginning to know Saturday afternoon, must wait for his weekly outing.

He had on his dirty slop that was already very grimy from the week's wear and toil, and as soon as he had finished his dinner he began a minute inspection of the beautifully finished monster.

Every little cog and wheel was worth looking at, and the smallest nut and screw more interesting to him than all the football in Ironboro'. Mr. Dainton had given him leave to stay, and Joe, the watchman, would let him out when he was ready.

He had watched the fitters at their work and thought wistfully of the years that must go by before he would be as clever as they. But every hour of learning would help and he would find out some things now.

So he got down and crawled under the boiler and inspected everything there, trying to understand the massive architecture of the iron steed.

Perhaps the faint warmth lulled him unconsciously, but in a place where most boys would have felt very uncomfortable, he presently went fast asleep. How long he had been there could not be told, but suddenly a sound of voices close by roused him completely.

"I tell you, man, there's no danger at all! That bottle of whisky will make old Joe sleep till midnight, and the little gate's ajar, and everybody off to the match. Just help me up and I'll spring back the fastening and get in through the side window. I've got keys, and with luck I can get the tracings and have them all copied out before dark. And there's a sovereign for your trouble as soon as I've put them back again to-night. Monks' will see _me_ right if I can manage it, and their draughtsman's waiting. I shan't touch anything else, so nobody 'll be the wiser."

Dick felt the perspiration on his brow as he recognised Whatman's voice. Then peering out cautiously he saw him walk towards the manager's office with a tall, well-dressed stranger.

He was not _quite_ sure what tracings might be, but he knew the firm had plans for new machinery in hand, from which great things were to be expected, for he had heard the fitters talking about it.

And these men were going to steal them. All sorts of ideas as to how he could stop them flitted through his eager brain while he noiselessly slipped off his shoes, and crawled out, inch by inch. If only the window fastenings would prove refractory and hinder them till he could steal behind the engine sheds and reach the big gates!

With cat-like speed and lightness he crept round the corner, and as soon as he gained shelter, ran at full speed to the small gate, that was half an inch ajar.

Inside the watchman's box old Joe slept heavily, from the effects of the drugged whisky. Dick dashed out almost into the arms of Policeman X., who looked suspiciously at the breathless lad, in his stockinged feet. "Oh, please, come quick!" he cried, laying hold of the strong hand as no criminal would have done. "They're burglaring the office and stealing tracings. Come now at once!"

"How many?" asked, the policeman with alacrity, as he beckoned to a man in plain clothes opposite.

"Two."

"All right, lead on, and if you're telling a true yarn we'll nab them. If not--well, mind yourself."

But there was unclouded truth in Dick's bright eyes, and the man in blue followed him confidently, his mate bringing up the rear.

Dick led them cautiously till they came close to the locomotive.

Then somebody trod on a piece of loose iron, and there was a slight clinking noise. In affright Whatman darted round the office, to be instantly taken possession of by the second man, while policeman X. ran forward and caught the stranger, who was just emerging from the window with a slim roll of papers in his hand.

"Well caught!" said the man in plain clothes, as he slipped the handcuffs on.

"You young spoil-sport, so this is _your_ doings!" said Whatman vindictively. "I'll have my revenge on you, see if I don't."

The stranger, who looked very pale and cowed, tried to offer a bribe, but the policeman stopped him at once and warned them that anything they said would be used against them at their trial.

Then when Dick had fetched his discarded shoes, and told what he had overheard, the little procession moved out into the street.

"We must wake up that dolt of a watchman and get the place made fast once more."

And after giving his name and address, Dick was glad to go home away from the sight of Whatman's rage.

"I am sorry I had to do it," he told Mrs. Garth over the fire that evening, "but it wouldn't have been right to let them steal, would it?"

"In course not, my boy, you only did your duty; though maybe Whatman would have said you were up to no good if he had found you there alone. It was lucky for you they didn't find you out when you went to give the alarm."

The news of the attempted burglary was soon known among the workmen, and proved a more exciting topic than the result of the football match.

"That's a smart lad," said the manager to Dainton that evening, "and if the firm doesn't do something for him, I will."

"You're right, sir," said Dainton emphatically. "He's smart and plucky too. Whatman's neither more nor less than a brute when he's roused, and this affair proves that he's none too honest. You know he was more than suspected when the brass filings were missed, that time."

"It'll be a fine exposure for Monks, too, if this fellow proves he was only a cat's-paw for them."

"Maybe you could move Dick into my shop, sir? I want to lend the boy a hand, though it strikes me he'll get on whether or no. He's so keen on learning, and would stop up half the night to pore over any old book of mechanics he can get hold of. And the way he has taken hold of drawing, at the night school, in the few weeks he's been there is something wonderful. I only wish my boy had the same gift."

"His uncle was a clever workman," said the manager thoughtfully. "Foolish fellow to take gold fever and go off into the wilds after it when he was doing so well with good British ironwork! I'll speak to Mr. Alfred about Dick, and he'll certainly have some promotion."

The manager did speak, and to good purpose, for Dick was raised to the rank of an apprentice and his indentures were made out and signed by the firm. He did not leave all disagreeable work behind, but he was under Mr. Dainton's oversight now, and Whatman's friends had little chance to torment him. When the Assizes came he had to give evidence against the would-be burglars, and as a result they were both sentenced to hard labour.

Dick would have gladly evaded this unpleasant duty, but he had no choice in the matter.

It was a great trouble to him, for a long while afterwards, and again and again he prayed that Whatman might have a new heart and right spirit and come out to lead a better life.