“But if you knows ’oo ’e is, why don’t you tell old Poskett and settle the affair?” asked Mr. Clark, very naturally.
“Because that ain’t in the programme,” replied Mr. Dobb. “‘Strictly business!’” he quoted, enigmatically. “Surely you ain’t forgot that?”
“Well, why don’t you tell me ’oo ’e is, and let me tell old Poskett?”
“There is such a thing as digging up pertaters before they’re ready to be dug,” remarked Mr. Dobb, mysteriously.
“Well, anyway, ’ow did you find out ’oo the chap was?” asked Mr. Clark, with something akin to professional jealousy.
“Two or three days back,” related Mr. Dobb, “I ’ad a very ’andsome-looking overmantel mirror for sale ’ere. It was in the window, and it caught Miss Poskett’s eye. And she stepped in and admired it, and asked the price, and you could see she thought it was a bargain. But she went out again, trying to be off’and.”
“Well, is it a riddle, or are you supposed to be telling me something?” asked Mr. Clark, as his friend made a long pause.
“I thought you’d guess the rest, easy. First thing next morning in comes a certain young gent, and said ’e’d ’eard I’d got a overmantel for sale, and ’e bought it straight off, almost without looking at it. Ah, if only there was more lovers in the world, it ’ud be a happier place altogether!” stated Mr. Dobb. “For chaps in my line of business, anyway!”
“Oh, well, I shall be glad when it’s all over and done with, that I do assure you!” said Mr. Clark. “I reckon I owe old Poskett something for getting me to take on a job like this, and a grudge is a debt of honour to me, don’t forget!”
“I don’t mind what you do to ’im after it’s all over,” said Mr. Dobb. “In fact, I reckon to quarrel with ’im myself before very long. It won’t matter a bit, because I ’ave pumped ’im dry in the way of business already.”