Now Andrew was not a bad sort of man by any means, but he had a great antipathy to being looked after. A joke went round at Andrew's expense; for if there was one thing the men in general hated more than another, it was that their wives should come in quest of them to the public-houses. Mrs. Brumm received a sharp reprimand; but she saw that he was, as she expressed it, "getting on," so she got some money from him and kept her scolding for another opportunity.
She did not go near the pawnbroker's to get her irons out. She bought a bit of meat and what else she wanted, and returned to Honey Fair. Robert East was closing his door for the night as she passed it. "Has Brumm come home?" he asked.
"Not he, the toper! He is stuck fast at the Horned Ram, getting in for it nicely. I have been after him for some money."
"Have you got your irons out?" inquired Charlotte, coming to the door.
"No, nor nothing else; and there's pretty near half the kitchen in. It's him that'll suffer. He has been getting out his own coat, but he can't put it on. Leastways, he won't without a clean collar and shirt; and let him fish for them. Wait till to-morrow comes, Mr. 'Drew Brumm!"
"Was his coat in?" returned Charlotte, surprised.
"That it was. Him as goes on so when I puts a thing or two in! He owed some money at his club, and he went and put his coat in for four shillings, and Adam Thorneycroft has been and fetched it out for him."
"Adam Thorneycroft!" involuntarily returned Charlotte.
"Thorneycroft's coat was in too, and he went for it just now, and Brumm gave him the ticket to get out his. Smith's daughter told me that. She was serving with her mother in the bar."
"Is Adam Thorneycroft at the Horned Ram still?"