Mr Weech's friendly sympathy extinguished Dicky's doubt. 'I didn't find it,' he said, shy but proud. 'It was a click--I sneaked it.'
'Eh?' ejaculated Mr Weech, a sudden picture of blank incomprehension. 'Eh? What? Click? Wot's a click? Sneaked? Wot's that? I dunno nothink about no talk o' that sort, an' I don't want to. It's my belief it means somethink wrong--but I dunno, an' I don't want to. 'Ear that? Eh? Don't let me 'ave no more o' that, or you'd better not come near me agin. If you _find_ somethink, awright: you come to me an' I'll give ye somethink for it, if it's any good. It ain't no business of anybody's _where_ you find it, o' course, an' I don't want to know. But clicks and sneaks--them's Greek to me, an' I don't want to learn 'em. Unnerstand that? Nice talk to respectable people, with yer clicks an' sneaks!'
Dicky blushed a little, and felt very guilty without in the least understanding the offence. But Mr Weech's virtuous indignation subsided as quickly as it had arisen, and he went on as amiably as ever.
'When you _find_ anythink,' he said, 'jist like you found that watch, don't tell nobody, an' don't let nobody see it. Bring it 'ere quiet, when there ain't any p'liceman in the street, an' come right through to the back o' the shop, an' say, "I come to clean the knives." Unnerstand? "I come to clean the knives." There ain't no knives to clean--it's on'y a way o' tellin' me you got somethink without other people knowin'. An' then I'll give you somethink for it--money p'raps, or p'raps cake or wot not. Don't forgit. "I come to clean the knives." See?'
Yes, Dicky understood perfectly; and Dicky saw a new world of dazzling delights. Cake--limitless cake, coffee, and the like whenever he might feel moved thereunto; but more than all, money--actual money. Good broad pennies, perhaps whole shillings--perhaps even more still: money to buy bullock's liver for dinner, or tripe, or what you fancied: saveloys, baked potatoes from the can on cold nights, a little cart to wheel Looey in, a boat from a toy-shop with sails!
'There's no end o' things to be found all over the place, an' a sharp boy like you can find 'em every day. If you don't find 'em, someone else will; there's plenty on 'em about on the look-out, an' you got jist as much right as them. On'y mind!'--Mr Weech was suddenly stern and serious, and his forefinger was raised impressively--'you know you can't do anythink without I know, an' if you say a word--if you say a word,' his fist came on the table with a bang, 'somethink 'll happen to you. Somethink bad.'