Erebus edged away from him ready to fly, should human justice intervene actively.

The Terror put his hand in his pocket and fumbled.

He drew out a penny, and looked at it earnestly.

He was weighing the respective merits of justice and bull's-eyes.
"Here's a penny for your kitten.

You can buy bull's-eyes with it," he said with a sigh, and held out the coin.
A sudden greed sparkled in Billy Beck's tearful eyes.