“Me! Oi never told a soul—Oi’ll take my Bible oath.”
“You told me just a minute ago.”
“Ah!” He was appeased. “That may be. But Oi never told you afore—Oi’ll take my oath.”
“No, never before, Gran’fer.”
There was a pause of peace.
Jinny was afraid to stir up the subject for weeks. But her little brain had been busy with the story, and finally taking advantage of a not unfriendly reference to Roger Boldero, she asked: “And was that the last time you saw father, when he was eating lobster with my angel mother in the dead of night?”
“Nay, nay, Oi seen lots of ’em both, afore Oi was shet out agen by molloncholy circumstances.”
“Ah!” Jinny brightened up. “And did you always go in by the window?”
“ ’Twasn’t in the house: ’twas on board the Tommy Devil. And that ain’t got no doorstep.” He laughed gleefully.
“Then did you go in by the porthole?” asked Jinny, smiling.