"Them—he be up in top front garret there. He 've often dealt wi' me till work failed him, an' spoke many a civil word too, he have. Where be yer half-crown, parson?"
"One moment,—" and Leveson turned to a woman passing by with a baby in her arms. "Is there an old man named Job Kippis living here?"
"Sure enough, up in a top garret," was the answer, and the half-crown was slipped into the old woman's hand, whereupon she went off chuckling. Leveson detained the other woman for a moment.
"Can you tell me anything about Job Kippis? I suppose you know him?"
"He be ill now,—was nigh starved t'other day, an' couldn't hardly be brought round."
"Has he a grandchild?"
"None of his own kith an' kin. He 've took little Ailie Carter for his own, an' nigh come to the work'us. An old man like him weren't fit for the charge."
"Is Ailie ill?"
"Both on 'em was found nigh starved by a neighbour t'other mornin'. Ailie's a-pickin' up now."
"Has any one helped them?" asked Leveson.