“He’s pumped me!” said Dandy, nodding heavily at his mistress.
Mrs. Mel took him up to his bed-room, and locked the door. On her way back she passed old Tom’s chamber, and his chuckles were audible to her.
“They finished the rum,” said Mrs. Hawkshaw.
“I shall rate him for that to-morrow,” said Mrs. Mel. “Giving that poor beast liquor!”
“Rate Mr. Tom! Oh! Mrs. Harrington! Why, he’ll snap your head off for a word.”
Mrs. Mel replied that her head would require a great deal of snapping to come off.
During this conversation they had both heard a singular intermittent noise above. Mrs. Hawkshaw was the first to ask:
“What can it be? More trouble with him? He’s in his bed-room now.”
“Mad with drink, like Dandy, perhaps,” said Mrs. Mel.
“Hark!” cried the landlady. “Oh!”