"What do you want to know for, Bob?" interposed his wife.
"Never you mind, it's no business of yours, nor of anyone else's, so far as I can see. Hugh? Oh, yes! It's like enough to the brat, I dare say. They're a noisy set, all on 'em!"
And without vouchsafing any further information, the head of the Gartley family stumped out of the cottage in the direction of the "Dragon".
"Well, it's the first time as ever I've known Bob take so much notice of anything!" exclaimed Mrs. Gartley. "What's he got to do with cupboards?"
"Perhaps he's fond of old furniture," ventured Katrine.
"Him! He's fond of his pipe and his beer, and that's all! I'd like to know what be up?"
"Why, I suppose anyone can feel a little natural curiosity when he looks at a picture," said Katrine, who saw nothing unusual in the incident.
"Natural curiosity, indeed! He's a deep 'un, is Bob!"
"Well, perhaps he'll tell you at tea-time."
"Not he; he don't tell me naught. But there! what's the use of talking of him? A young lady like you won't want to be thinking of such as he."