"Wot toon would you
like?"
I couldn't get away from 'em, and when I told them I 'ad never danced in
my life the cook asked me where I expected to go to. He told the
drayman that I'd been dancing like a fairy in sea-boots, and they all
got in front of me and wouldn't let me pass. I lost my temper at last,
and, arter they 'ad taken the broom away from me and the drayman and one
o' the sailormen 'ad said wot they'd do to me if I was on'y fifty years
younger, they sheered off.
I locked the gate arter 'em and went back to the office, and I 'adn't
been there above 'arf an hour when somebody started ringing the gate-
bell as if they was mad. I thought it was the cook's lot come back at
fust, so I opened the wicket just a trifle and peeped out. There was a
'ansom-cab standing outside, and I 'ad hardly got my nose to the crack
when the actor-chap, still in my clothes, pushed the door open and
nipped in.
"You've lost," he ses, pushing the door to and smiling all over.
"Where's your sixpence?"
"Lost?" I ses, hardly able to speak. "D'ye mean to tell me you've been
to my wife arter all--arter all I said to you?"
"I do," he ses, nodding, and smiling agin.
Pages:
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173