"Richmond shops are letting like anything," he said.
"The place is coming on," replied John. "I was lucky to get one in King's Row. She is cheap too."
"What are you talking about? There's a new boot shop in King's Row already. Next door to the jeweler."
"You are mistook. I have taken her."
"Well, then, you are cheated. Get up at once and make a case. Wear an overcoat and ride in the bus."
But John bade Ann go to Richmond and to say this and that to the owner of the house. Ann went and the house was empty.
A third time Silas came out of Barnes, bringing with him gifts. These are the gifts that he offered his brother John: a tin of lobster, a tin of sardines, a tin of salmon, and a tin of herrings; and through each tin, in an unlikely place, he had driven the point of a gimlet.
"Eat these," he said, "and good they will do you."
"Much obliged," replied John. "I'll try a herring with bread and butter and vinegar to supper. Very much obliged. It was not my blame that we quarreled. Others had his eye on the agency."
"Tish, I did not want the old Mermaid. You keep her. I got the sole agency for the Gwendoline."