John Masefield

“ I felt very glad that Bill was taken up, evidently in mistake for me. It seemed a fitting reward. But at the same time I knew that the mistake might be found out at any moment; and that I should be searched for as soon as Bill had cleared himself. I walked slowly away from the turnpike, so that the keeper might not suspect me, and then I nipped over a stile, and ran away across country, going inland, away from the sea, as fast as I could travel. I could tell my direction by the sun, and I kept a westerly course, almost due west, for three or four hours, till I was tired out. ”

“ In another minute they had my suit stripped from me; and I had the sight of dirty little Bill, the tramper's boy, putting on my things.
"Here," said the woman. "You put on Bill's things. They're good enough for you. And don't you dare breathe a word of what we done."
"Yes," said the man, as Bill buttoned up his jacket, and took my little bundle in his hand. "You keep your little jaw shut or I'll come after you."
"Oh, Mother," said Bill. "Don't I look a young swell, neither?" ”

“ I answered.
"How do you make a living?" he asked. "Little boys, like you, oughtn't to be about on the roads, you know. What d'ye do for a living?"
I am afraid it was rather a bold statement; but I cried out that I could sing ballads.
"Oh, Jim. So you sing ballads, do you?" said the officer. "Get on to that chair and sing us a ballad."
But I was cunning and wary. "Please, sir," I said, "I'm very hungry. I don't sing, except for my dinner and a sixpence."
"So you defy the law already, do you?" said the newcomer. "Well. Eat some bread and cheese, and I will give you sixpence for a song." ”