“Number two! At three o’clock t’ next morning a man summat after his build catches t’ Scotchman at t’ Junction, and lands i’ Airlee i’ time to get a’ early train for Hull. That brings us to Number Three!
“T’ ticket collector at Hull swears ’at a man wi’ a brown owercoat ’at lacked a button passed t’ barrier at nine i’ t’ morning, and t’ same man passed back at two i’ t’ afternoon. He reckernized him by t’ loose threads where t’ button sud ha’ been.”
Again Swithin paused, and allowed his eyes to travel over the company and take toll of their appreciation. Again, too, he refreshed himself with a drink.
“We had t’ job weighed up by this time,” he went on; not thinking it necessary to inform his hearers that much of this information had reached his ears for the first time that morning; “but we hadn’t fun where he’d hidden t’ brass, and Harker wasn’t for hurrying his-sen. When there wor no moon he left me i’ charge, as you may say; but there worn’t many nights i’ t’ month when he didn’t turn up his-sen; and how many hours, neighbours, when you’ve been warm i’ your beds that man’s been shivering i’ Gordel he could mebbe tell you better’n me.
“T’ first time he tracked him there, wor t’ night Maniwel’s roof-tree wor let down. Harker watched him do it, and then followed him across t’ moor to t’ Scar. But Inman wor ower quick for him, and Harker wor flayed o’ making a noise when he were climbing down t’ slippy rocks wi’ so much loose stone about, so all he knew wor ’at Inman wor groaning and pitying his-sen on t’ stones i’ t’ bottom. But by what he made out he’d slipped down t’ cliff-side and hurt his knee-cap, and a bonny job he had to trail his-sen home. It wor me ’at let day-light into Harker when he tell’d me; and it wor me ’at showed him where he could hide his-sen and spy on him.
“He’d a bit to wait wol Inman’s knee mended, but there came a darkish night when Inman turned up again, and a woman close on his heels. He guessed it wor Nancy, but he didn’t follow ayther on ’em, flayed o’ one or t’other of ’em picking him out. He always had a car and a bike i’ our shed and kep’ t’ key in his pocket, so he could get off back before daylight. He knew Inman ’ud be sure to try agen t’ next night, and t’ rest you know as well as me.”