human
Daze me! said the constable, after a hard stare.
gpt
Surely—ay, ’tis the mayor, with the beginning of a black eye!
human
Of course I’m the mayor! said Noakes, truculently.
gpt
These young ruffians have assaulted me. I give them in charge, Brown.
human
That’s cool! said Eves.
gpt
Don’t pay any attention to him, constable. He’s mad, or intoxicated. Mr. Templeton had occasion to come back to the shop, and we found this fellow in the act of trying to open a drawer where Mr. Templeton keeps important papers. He got a bit ruffled, of course. He says he’s the mayor, but is that likely? Take him to the station, constable: we’ll give the superintendent the facts.
human
He’s the mayor, or his double, said the constable.
gpt
And as to arresting the mayor——
human
Don’t be a fool, Brown, said Noakes.
gpt
It’s all a mistake—and a mistake that’ll cost these young ruffians dear. I came here to see Wilkins, and afore I could get a word out, they knocked me down and nigh squeezed the breath out of me.
human
And Wilkins knows that you open his drawers in his absence? said Eves.
gpt
Are these your keys, Bob, or Wilkins’s?
human
Neither, said Templeton.
gpt
Mine are in my pocket: Mr. Wilkins no doubt has his.
human
Well, jown me if I know what to do! said the constable.
gpt
You’d better all come along and charge each other, seems to me!
human
What’s all this?
gpt
They rang me up from the station, and told me there was burglars in my shop. Where be they? Mr. Noakes, what have been going on? What have come to your eye?
human
You may well ask, Wilkins. I came to have a word with you about that estimate, you know—— Wilkins tried to look as if he knew—
gpt
He was trying his keys on this drawer, Mr. Wilkins,
human
And why not? demanded Wilkins, indignantly.
gpt
Why not, I ask ’ee? ’Tis my drawer, I keep my papers there, and Mr. Noakes having come to see me about an estimate, of course he saves time and gets the estimate out ready.
human
And Brown will take ’em in charge for an unprovoked assault,
gpt
Well, now, Mr. Noakes, said Wilkins, soothingly,
human
I wouldn’t go so far as that. Not if it was me. It do seem ’twas a mistake. They took ’ee for a burglar—a nat’ral mistake, that’s what it was, and my advice to one and all is, let it bide and say no more about it. We don’t want no newspapers getting a hold of things like this. Won’t do none of us no good—that’s what I say.