"I say, master, who was that speaking to ye this minute?"
"Don't know, missis; but I expects he be a perlice."
"What did he say to you, master?"
"'Well,' he says to me, ses he, 'do you know,' he ses, 'who lives over there?' he ses; that's what he ses to me, missis, as near as I can recollect."
"What did you tell him?"
"Why, I says, ses I, 'Look here! what do you want to know for?' I says."
"Well, go on, go on! What else did he ask you?"
"'Well,' ses he, 'have you seen any one go in there this morning,' he ses. 'Yes!' ses I. 'Who?' he ses. 'Well,' ses I, 'I seed Missis Drake,' I ses, 'and her lodger,' I ses, 'and a man,' I ses."
"You old foo—! Excuse me, Master Noyce, but you did not see no man come in but my lodger. There, go away! You allus was a stupid, and I'm sure of it now."
"Come, missis! I don't want no blowin' up. You axed me civil, and I gave you an answer," retorted the old man, turning sulkily away.