“Leastways, lambs,” said Riderhood, observing him out of the corners of his eyes, “that’s wot I my own self sometimes ketches in rivers. For strike me blind, my lambs, if I didn’t ketch in a river the wery bundle under my arm!”

The class looked at the master, as if appealing from the irregular entrapment of this mode of examination. The master looked at the examiner, as if he would have torn him to pieces.

“I ask your pardon, learned governor,” said Riderhood, smearing his sleeve across his mouth as he laughed with a relish, “ ’tain’t fair to the lambs, I know. It wos a bit of fun of mine. But upon my soul I drawed this here bundle out of a river! It’s a bargeman’s suit of clothes. You see, it had been sunk there by the man as wore it, and I got it up.”

“How do you know it was sunk by the man who wore it?” asked Bradley.

“Cause I see him do it,” said Riderhood.