I owed far more than I could save in half a year.
But I had still my uncle's half-sovereign in my pocket, which I had hitherto, despite all my difficulties, kept untouched.

An emergency had now arisen, thought I, when surely I should be justified in using it.
As long as I remained a party to Billy's dishonesty I was, I felt, little better than a thief myself, and that I could not endure, however bad in other respects I might have been.
I went straight to Trotter's shop.

A jovial, red-faced woman stood at the door, just about to shut up for the night.
"I want to see Mr Trotter," said I.
"Mrs Trotter, you mean, I suppose ?" said the woman.

"I'm the lady." "Can I speak to you for a minute ?" I said.
"Yes--half an hour if you like.

What is it ?" "It's something private." "Bless us, are you going to offer to marry me, or what ?" exclaimed she; "come, what is it ?" "Have you--that is, did you--the fact is, I don't know whether you happen to have missed a pair of boots," I said, falteringly.
She made a grab at my arm.
"So you're the thief, are you?
A nice trade you've started at, young master, so I can tell you!" "Oh," I cried, in the utmost alarm and terror, "you're quite wrong, you are indeed.