I did not grasp it so well then as I did afterwards, though I had an undefined feeling that my fellow clerk’s company would not be agreeable to them; and when I left them that night, it was with the feeling that it was quite certain that my new friends would start, possibly before the month was out; while as far as I was concerned, my prospects were very much as they were.
Chapter Eight.
A Startling Announcement.
That night when I got back to Camberwell, I found that not only had supper been ready above an hour, but Mrs Dean and Esau were both waiting for me to join them.
“I thought we’d make a sort of a party of it,” said Esau, “only not ask anybody, so that we could enjoy ourselves, though if that policeman was anywhere near, and old Dingle wasn’t so far off, I should like to have had them in.”
“Oh, I am glad you’ve come,” cried Mrs Dean, “for Esau has been going on so.”
“Only,” continued Esau, ignoring his mother’s words, “you couldn’t ask old Dingle without asking his wife and twelve children, and that would take such a lot of plates, without counting the pie mother’s made, and that’s only just enough for three.”
“But why have you got such a grand hot supper?” I said.