"'Ullo! sir, you doin' the Romeo stunt? as Mr. Angell 'Erald would say."
"The what, J.B.?" enquired the Boy innocently.
"I see you last Thursday at South Ken. with a bowkay as if you was goin' to a weddin'. 'Ooo's yer lady friend, Mr. 'Indenburg?"
The Boy flushed scarlet.
"Mr. Bindle," said Sallie severely, who has intuitions, "I'm cross with you."
"Wi' me, miss?" Bindle enquired in concerned surprise. "Wot 'ave I done?"
"It's all right," broke in the Boy. "The flowers were for the Mater."
Bindle became strangely silent, for some time afterwards. Later he said to me—
"'E seems fond of 'is mother."
"Who?" I enquired.