The woman smiled at the dignified attitude of her would-be lodger, and bade him come in and she would find him a bed to suit.
She saw very well that this was no roughly-nurtured child, and possibly guessed partly at the truth.
There were two or three labouring men taking supper in a back kitchen, and a strong smell of onions and frying fat pervaded the atmosphere.
Jeff felt it would not do to appear squeamish in such company, and drew near to the fire, making a pretence of warming his hands.
"Here's a new lodger, Timothy; you make room for him," said the woman with a broad grin.
"Runned away from school, young marster, I'll be bound," said one rough giant, catching hold of Jeff by the arm. The boy turned his brown eyes steadily on his captor.
"No, I have never been at any school," he said with composure. "But they would not let me meet my mother, who is coming home from India, so I took all the money out of my savings-box and came by the train without telling anyone."
The navvy released him.
"From Ingy! That's a long way to come. And they wouldn't let you meet her! It was a darned shame. You're a well plucked one for your size. Can ye stand treat, young maister? We'll drink to the health of the lady from Ingy."
Jeff took his few coins out of his pocket with a dubious frown.