"The rotten informer! Well, you tell Flash Jack from me that where he can put me away for one thing I can put him away for half-a-dozen; and if I go into gaol for a five-stretch he goes in for ten.

I ain't afraid of Flash Jack, nor you either.

See that, now!" Hugh felt that his mission had failed.

He pulled out the summons as a last resource, and passed it to the old man.
"What's this ?" he said.
"Summons to give evidence," said Hugh.
"Victoria by the Grace of God," read the old man, by the flickering firelight.

"Victoria by the Grace of God, eh?
Well, see here," he continued, solemnly putting the summons in the fire and watching it blaze, "if Victoria by the Grace of God wants me, she can send for me--send a coach and six for Patrick Henry Considine, late Patrick Henry Keogh! And then I mightn't go! There'll be only one thing make me go where I don't want to go, and that's a policeman at each elbow and another shovin' behind.