“Then speak.”

“Yes, sir; but I shall holler if you pinch my arm, and that ’Talian girl’ll hear me.”

“Who was it, then?”

“Please, sir, it was a cracker.”

“What?”

“A bit of a fib, sir. I knowed you wanted to get rid of them two ’cause you’d got her as you’re so fond on shut up in there.”

“Silence!”

“Yes, sir, but missus can’t hear; she’s down in the kitchen.”

“Then nobody came?”

“No, sir; I thought if I come and said that, you’d like it, because it would send them away. I’ve often done it for missus when some one’s been bothering her for money.”