A CHILD OF THE JAGO
shillings, never more and never less; a gold viratch was worth twice as much; an uncommonly good one—a rich man's watch—would bring as much as eighteen shillings, if the thief were judge enough of its quality to venture the demand. And, as it commonly took three men to secure a single watch in the open street—one to "front," one to snatch, and a third to take from the snatcher—the gains of the toy-getting trade were poor, except to the fence. This time Josh resolved to put pressure on the fence, and to do his best to get something as near a sovereign as might be. And as to the chain, so thick and heavy, he would fight his best for the privilege of sale by weight. Thus turning the thing in his mind, he entered the familiar doorway of the old clothes shop.
"Vot is id?" asked the fence, holding out his hand with the customary air of contempt for what was coming, by way of discounting it in advance. This particular
278
