The Americans greeted Lovey with their usual heartiness, but she refused to sell her bird until young Stark and his friends approached. Then, before he could make any remark, she lifted up her voice to him.
"I've kep' my promise, young man, an' here's your birthday feast, though you may think yourself lucky it have reached you, for Mr. Turnkey there was terrible set upon it."
"Thank you, Mrs. Lee; and the price?"
"Half-a-crown, though a grasping party might ax three shilling."
"You shall have three."
"'Tis but just. All the same, it ban't a very young bird—rather old, in truth. An' I haven't drawn it, for their insides be a bit wiry when they come to full growth."
"So much the better for our teeth," said Burnham.
"For that matter, we shall hev plenty of time to eat him," declared Knapps.
"Well, lads, to-morrow night we'll pick his bones, and if Mrs. Lee can manage to get a bottle of brandy past our friend there——"
The turnkey winked.