Трое в лодке не считая собаки

           Itdidlookalot,andHarrisandIbegantofeelratherashamedofit,thoughwhyweshouldbe,Ican’tsee. Nocabcameby,butthestreetboysdid,andgotinterestedintheshow,apparently,andstopped. 

           Biggs’sboywasthefirsttocomeround. Biggsisourgreengrocer,andhischieftalentliesinsecuringtheservicesofthemostabandonedandunprinciplederrand-boysthatcivilisationhasasyetproduced. Ifanythingmorethanusuallyvillainousintheboy-linecropsupinourneighbourhood,weknowthatitisBiggs’slatest. Iwastoldthat,atthetimeoftheGreatCoramStreetmurder,itwaspromptlyconcludedbyourstreetthatBiggs’sboy(forthatperiod)wasatthebottomofit,andhadhenotbeenable,inreplytotheseverecross-examinationtowhichhewassubjectedbyNo.19,whenhecalledthereforordersthemorningafterthecrime(assistedbyNo.21,whohappenedtobeonthestepatthetime),toproveacompletealibi,itwouldhavegonehardwithhim. Ididn’tknowBiggs’sboyatthattime,but,fromwhatIhaveseenofthemsince,Ishouldnothaveattachedmuchimportancetothatalibimyself. 

           Biggs’sboy,asIhavesaid,cameroundthecorner. Hewasevidentlyinagreathurrywhenhefirstdawneduponthevision,but,oncatchingsightofHarrisandme,andMontmorency,andthethings,heeasedupandstared. HarrisandIfrownedathim. Thismighthavewoundedamoresensitivenature,butBiggs’sboysarenot,asarule,touchy. Hecametoadeadstop,ayardfromourstep,and,leaningupagainsttherailings,andselectingastrawtochew,fixeduswithhiseye. Heevidentlymeanttoseethisthingout. 

           Inanothermoment,thegrocer’sboypassedontheoppositesideofthestreet. Biggs’sboyhailedhim: