“Well, and if they do listen, what is the harm, if we are doing what is right?”
“It won’t do to argufy here, I tell you. In my opinion, a poor man who works hard to get some victuals to keep body and soul together is doing what is right.”
“Yes, if he works at an honest livelihood.”
“Don’t talk so loud about honesty; the very word is enough to make people suspect something not right. I’ll tell you all when you come up to my house; for you see, Jack, you must help me to carry these things up. D’ye think you can manage this bag of pease? Let’s try.” Between us we contrived to get the bag, which weighed about half a hundredweight, on my back, and I walked off with it, Grumble following me with the copper and the other small bag, which I afterwards found contained copper nails. When we arrived at his dwelling, which was as dilapidated and miserable as old Nanny’s, he took out his key and fumbled a long while at the lock; at last he opened it. “You had better stay till I get a light,” said he. In a minute he came with one to the door, and told me to follow him. I went in, put down the bag, and, some grains falling out, I took them up.
“Why, this is coffee, Grumble!”
“Well, pease is our name for coffee, sand for sugar, and vinegar for rum, when we get any.”
“Well, but, Grumble, I wish to know how you came by these things.”
“I’ll tell you, Jack, if you ask everybody how they come by things, you will have enough to do; but the fact is, the man wants me to sell them for him.”
“Why, you said he gave them to you out of charity!”
“Oh, that was only because I couldn’t spare breath to tell you all about it.”