DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.22217#0211
THE CAPTAINS CHRONOMETER. 199
down his hopes a little. By the description given of the thief,
I recognised Tommy Tait unmistakably, for Tommy had
certain peculiarities of ugliness about his figure-head which,
once seen, were always remembered, and I firmly assured the
captain that I could easily lay hands on the nimble pickpockev
in an hour's time; but as to recovering the watch, that was
altogether a different matter. I could not pledge myself to
that.
"Why, it's the chronometer I want," exclaimed the bluff
seaman, looking quite aghast. " I'll give twenty pounds this
minute to the man who puts it into my hands safe and sound.
What do I care for the blessed thief? Though you got him
and gave him twenty years on the treadmill, that wouldn't do
me a bit of good."
" There's a chance of getting the chronometer, too, if we get
the man," I quietly observed. "Just leave your name and
address, and all particulars, while I go and see if I can lay
hands on Tommy."
I fully expected that 1 should get Tommy at some of his
usual haunts, and return within the hour, but I was giving
Tommy credit for far less ability than he possessed. I chanced
to know his favourite hiding-place, and went to that direct.
He was not there, and had not been near it for days. All his
haunts were tried with a like result. Then, a little annoyed, I
tried back," and discovered the entry and common stair in
the Low Calton in which he had burrowed while his pursuers
rushed by. Two boys had seen him there, and they testified
that he had turned back towards Greenside as soon as it was
safe to venture forth; and from that point all trace of him
disappeared. I hunted for him high and low, for days on end,
in vain; and what added to my mystification was the fact that
Tommy's relatives and acquaintances were as puzzled and
distressed at his disappearance as I could possibly be. At
first I thought it possible that he had left the city, but in
a day or two had reason to believe that such was not the
case. Tommy never went farther than Glasgow or Paisley,
and as he had not been heard of or seen in either of these
places, a queer thought came into my mind. Could it be
possible that Tommy had wandered into bad company and
got knocked on the head—in other words, murdered—for the
valuable treasure he carried ? I note the strange suspicion, not
because it turned out to be correct in regard to the loss of
Tommy's valuable life, but because the treasure he carried was
down his hopes a little. By the description given of the thief,
I recognised Tommy Tait unmistakably, for Tommy had
certain peculiarities of ugliness about his figure-head which,
once seen, were always remembered, and I firmly assured the
captain that I could easily lay hands on the nimble pickpockev
in an hour's time; but as to recovering the watch, that was
altogether a different matter. I could not pledge myself to
that.
"Why, it's the chronometer I want," exclaimed the bluff
seaman, looking quite aghast. " I'll give twenty pounds this
minute to the man who puts it into my hands safe and sound.
What do I care for the blessed thief? Though you got him
and gave him twenty years on the treadmill, that wouldn't do
me a bit of good."
" There's a chance of getting the chronometer, too, if we get
the man," I quietly observed. "Just leave your name and
address, and all particulars, while I go and see if I can lay
hands on Tommy."
I fully expected that 1 should get Tommy at some of his
usual haunts, and return within the hour, but I was giving
Tommy credit for far less ability than he possessed. I chanced
to know his favourite hiding-place, and went to that direct.
He was not there, and had not been near it for days. All his
haunts were tried with a like result. Then, a little annoyed, I
tried back," and discovered the entry and common stair in
the Low Calton in which he had burrowed while his pursuers
rushed by. Two boys had seen him there, and they testified
that he had turned back towards Greenside as soon as it was
safe to venture forth; and from that point all trace of him
disappeared. I hunted for him high and low, for days on end,
in vain; and what added to my mystification was the fact that
Tommy's relatives and acquaintances were as puzzled and
distressed at his disappearance as I could possibly be. At
first I thought it possible that he had left the city, but in
a day or two had reason to believe that such was not the
case. Tommy never went farther than Glasgow or Paisley,
and as he had not been heard of or seen in either of these
places, a queer thought came into my mind. Could it be
possible that Tommy had wandered into bad company and
got knocked on the head—in other words, murdered—for the
valuable treasure he carried ? I note the strange suspicion, not
because it turned out to be correct in regard to the loss of
Tommy's valuable life, but because the treasure he carried was