Oswald was sorry for him, especially when he saw that one of his pockets had a large hole in it, and that he had nothing in his pockets but letters and string and three boxes of matches, and a pipe and a handkerchief and a thin tobacco pouch and two pennies.

We made him put all the things on the table, and then he said-- 'Well, you've caught me; what are you going to do with me?
Police ?' Alice and H.O.had come down to be reinforcements, when they heard a shout, and when Alice saw that it was a Real Robber, and that he had surrendered, she clapped her hands and said, 'Bravo, boys!' and so did H.O.And now she said, 'If he gives his word of honour not to escape, I shouldn't call the police: it seems a pity.

Wait till Father comes home.' The robber agreed to this, and gave his word of honour, and asked if he might put on a pipe, and we said 'Yes,' and he sat in Father's armchair and warmed his boots, which steamed, and I sent H.O.and Alice to put on some clothes and tell the others, and bring down Dicky's and my knickerbockers, and the rest of the chestnuts.
And they all came, and we sat round the fire, and it was jolly.

The robber was very friendly, and talked to us a great deal.
'I wasn't always in this low way of business,' he said, when Noel said something about the things he had turned out of his pockets.

'It's a great come-down to a man like me.