Uriel was feeling pretty chipper that morning as he said, "Woah," to the large draft horse that pulled his cart, tugging on the reins so the beast stopped. He hitched her up and then headed to his fist stall, thumbs looped into the suspenders that held up his denim trousers. The tall man gave a low whistle as he caught sight of a ring, and he sidled on up to it to give a closer look. Not normally one to impulse buy, he pulled out his little ledger and looked to see what he had available, then back at the ring. He decided to go for a simple one instead with a small chip of a rock in it instead of the fancy one. While she would have appreciated the fancy one, he knew she would prefer the simpler one for the fact that they were homesteading and it would have been bad if she lost the fancy ring.

After he purchased the wedding ring, he looked at his list, then peered around to where he wanted to go first. Ah, yes, to get the sack of flour.

Uriel might or might not have felt a little hand nimbly reaching into his pocket. Either way, one second later a small boy was darting away, and was about to turn a corner, were it not for a big, but old man stepping sideways and into his way. The man had a walking stick, and clearly had issues with balance. But he had the advantage of being prepared for the collision, as well as being bigger. The boy, on the other hand, fell to the ground, ring and case flying out of his hand. Ben grabbed the boy by his arm and pulled him up - "Not so fast!" - before looking around for the ring and the gentleman.

Uriel did feel the unpracticed thief steal his ring. He was just about to scoop the kid under his arm when the boy darted off. He followed after, able to run because he was losing weight doing all of the farm work he had been doing. It did not take long for him to catch up with the kid. He saw the box hit the ground, sighed a sigh of relief when it stayed closed, and bent down to get it. Then he looked at the kid and produced a little bit of money, held it up and said, "Now, I can be angry at you for stealing a very important ring from me... Or I can pay you to help me out a little bit with a secret project for my fiance.... Do you want this shilling? Because it's yours if you can find me the cutest two kittens out of that litter over there." The big man was patient with the child... Either the kid stole because he wanted money, or he stole because it was shiny. Either way... Uriel couldn't punish the boy, it wasn't in his nature to see a child in need and make him worse off for it. Uriel stood then and looked at the older male, nodding, "Thanks."

Ben looked from the kid he was still holding by the arm to the gentleman and back. He did not want to get into a gentleman's business. But there was also too much stealing going on in the streets. He finally chose to let go and the boy darted off to the litter. "Eh, no offense, ser, but ye best not reward 'im. The constables have their hands full on that lot."

"I am a teacher, sir..." He countered, "My job is to teach the child right from wrong as much as it is the job of the parent. Wrong is punishing the child for being taught to steal in the first place. I am not rewarding his bad behavior, I am reinforcing good." He pocketed the ring and then sighed, "The ring is intact and just fine, no harm done." He looked to the child, "Go home to your parents, kid."

Ben was glad to know there were decent teachers out there. He had left school within a month or two, in part because his teacher had no patience with him, and he knew the older children had struggled with that horrible man, Mr. Perry, until the school board had sacked him at last. Nevertheless, being unable to read and chatting in class were quite a different matter from stealing.

Though Uriel told the boy to go, the kid holding two meowing kittens, one black, and one black and white. "Me shilling, ser?"
"Now don't test your luck." Ben scolded.

He paused long enough to pay the child for the kittens, and he said, "Thank you... Now go home. I don't want to see you stealing again, next time you'll be handed over to the constabulary." He called after, "I mean it." He tucked the kittens, fine looking little things, into the basket he had with him, tying the strings to keep it shut. "Pretty little things." He gave a smile. "Thank you for catching him either way." He said to the older man.

"Aye, 's no problem, ser. I'm glad ye still have your ring." Ben said.

"It is going to be for my wife. It isn't much to look at, but I doubt she minds." He opened the box to show the small opal, dainty but practical.

Ben pulled a face. "Ser, what's not much to look at for one person is a mighty gift for another." If that kid had gotten away with that ring, he would have been rich for a while. Or his parents would have drank the money. Probably the latter.