THE HIRING FAIR.
When Mr. Wrench made his appearance in the public room of the “Dun Cow,” Joe, after a little circumlocution, explained to his chief his adventures of the previous night.
As the latter listened to the account of the stranger in the vagrants’ lodging-house, and his sudden departure, his countenance was irradiated with a smile.
“And this fellow went away without saying a word to anybody?” said Wrench.
“He never so much as opened his ugly mouth,” returned Doughty.
“Ah, who knows, but he might be the man of whom we are in search?”
“He warn’t a morsel loike ’im.”
“He wasn’t?”
“Noa, not a morsel, ’xcept his walk, and that war a goodish bit arter the style of Giles Chudley’s.”
“All right, Doughty, I don’t think you have spent a night in the lodging-house in vain; but you must be hungry. We’ll have breakfast, and then make the best of our way to the fair.”