LONG ARM OF LAW

Evening Star, Issue 23382, 27 September 1939, Page 2

LONG ARM OF LAW

ADVENTURE IN CRIME CUT SHORT PROMPT POLICE ACTION The three London lads looked round them carefully. The street was empty. They nodded at each other, and with the agility of youth they climbed over the.high gate in front of them. On the other side of the gate was tha bank of a canal. They filed along, beside the water until they came to a' deserted warehouse, and once more they, peered round at the silence of the canal’ and the tall brick walls. All seemed safe. They swarmed one by one up » stadk-pipe, climbed through a window, and dropped to the dusty floor, ’ “ Here we are,” panted George. “ Did anyone see us?” said Ernest. “ See us?’.’ said John. “No one saw: They squared their shoulders with * boyish bravado, and began to explore the echoing rooms of the warehouse; and from the other side of the canal a man who had seen them was already speaking on the telephone to Scotland Yard. FLYING SQUAD CAR, The machinery of the police worked swiftly and smoothly. A wireless message from the Yard diverted a'.Flying Squad car towards the warehouse. Telephone messages brought constables in dozens from police stations. Within 10 minutes the warehouse was surrounded. One of the cockney lads glanced through a window and saw the gathering of the siege. “Psst!” he hissed* •* It’s the coppers.” “ Where are they ?’•’• “Allround.” “What’ll we do, then?” “ You follow me,” said George. . He led the way down the stack-pipf. Constables converged upon -them ai they reached the bank of the canal. George dived instantly into the water, and Ernest and John followed him. The constables turned and ran.toward & bridge that straddled the canal. They climbed upon it, ran to. the other side, and jumped 20ft to land on the further bank. f The three cockney- lads emerged dripping from the water;- and.' strong hands grasped thehi- by the’--shoulders.: -i J. *s*».<«• “ You’d better come along with ms,* said the constables. “ We’re arresting you for being found on enclosed premises for an unlawful purpose; And you’d better get those clothes off before you catch your death of cold.” George, Ernest, and John thing at all. The great adventure was over, and water was running into their eyes. It was affair cop. \ _ In the morning they stood in the court at Clerkenwell. They were clad in their best suits, and their hair' was smooth, and their eyes were wide. They, had the air of hoys who had decided . that the feats of Raffles were all right in the pages of fiction, but were rather unprofitable in real life. Mr Brodrick, on the Bench, smiled down at their small and sheepish forms. “Well,” he said, “and what do you want to say about this, you boys?” . “ Very sorry, sir,” muttered Georg*. “ Sorry, sir,” echoed Ernest. “ And me, sir,” said John. ” ! TWINKLE IN HIS EYES* ” Mr Brodrick directed his smile to* ward the detective who stood .in, tha witness box. “ How old are these boys,’ * “ One of them is 17, sir, and the other two are 16. They all nave good 1 characters, sir.” “I can only deal with one of the pi. then,” said Mr Brodrick. He addressed himself to George. “If I bind you oyer and put you on probation,” he said, “ will you promise not to do this kind of thing again? You will? That’s good. You’re hound over, then,, and put on probation for 12 months.”;, Ha turned to Ernest and John. “.You two lads,” he added, “will be sent to the Juvenile Court.” The three cockney boys who/had tried to bring Raffles back to life filed decorously from the court; and when they had gone Mr Brodrick leaned hack in his chair with a twinkle in his:eyes.