“I only takes a little, father, because you mayn’t take too much.”
“Thanky for nothing; when do I ever take too much, you scamp?”
“Not too much for a man standing on his own pins, but too much for a man on two broomsticks.”
“Stop your jaw, Mr Tom, or I’ll unscrew one of the broomsticks, and lay it over your shoulders.”
“Before it’s out of the socket, I’ll give you leg-bail. What will you do then, father?”
“Catch you when I can, Tom, as the spider takes the fly.”
“What’s the good o’ that, when you can’t bear malice for ten minutes?”
“Very true, Tom? then thank your stars that you have two good legs, and that your poor father has none.”
“I very often do thank my stars, and that’s the truth of it; but what’s the use of being angry about a drop of rum, or a handful of sugar?”
“Because you takes more than your allowance.”