CHAPTER XII. 



THE MONEY COINERS. 



I HAVE previously stated that old Dick took 

 a public house, but his first venture as a 

 publican was not such a great success as it 

 might have been, as I will show. 



About twelve months after the ' ' rotten eggs " 

 episode, three strangers came prowling around 

 Chesham, Hyde Heath, and the neighbourhood, 

 passing bad money. They did it very cleverly 

 and systematically, and deluged the place 

 with bad half-crowns before they left, which 

 latter operation they deferred rather too long, 

 as I will explain. Amongst others places they 



