Sam whistled and stared.
“What’s them?” he said, pointing with his pipe at the work.
“Only some slop-work I want to finish.”
Mrs Jenkles seemed so busy, that she could not look up and meet her husband’s eye. In fact, to use her own expression, she was all of a twitter, and did not know what Sam would say; for though she nominally ruled him, Sam had a will of his own.
“Well, and did you find out about ’em?”
“Yes, Sam,” said Mrs Jenkles, without raising her eyes.
“Bad lot, aint they?” he said, puffing away at his pipe.
Mrs Jenkles shook her head.
“What, aint I been took in, then?” said Sam. “Aint they deep, designing people, as got hold of yer poor innocent husband, and swindled him out of thirty bob?”
“Oh, Sam, Sam!” exclaimed Mrs Jenkles, with her lip quivering, “I never see anything so pitiful in my life.”