"But she shall," returned Andrew. "And she sees for herself now that it might be done."
"I was a-making a calkelation yesterday how long we might hold out on our household things," observed Jacob Cross—a silent man, in general. "If none of us can get work, they'll have to go, piecemeal. One can't clam; one must live upon something."
"I'm resolved upon one point—that I won't have no underhand debt again," resumed Brumm. "Last spring I found out the flaring trade my missis was carrying on with them Bankes's—and the way I come to know of it was funny: but never mind that. 'Bell,' says I to her, 'I'd rather sell off all I've got and go tramping the country, than I'd live with a sword over my head'—which debt is. And I went down to Bankes's and said to 'em, 'If you let my wife get into debt again, I won't pay it, as I now give you notice, and I'll have you up before the justices for a pest.' I thought I'd make it strong, you see, Cross. And I paid off their bill, so much a week, and got shut of 'em. Them Bankes's does more mischief in Honey Fair than everything else put together."
"Why, what do Bankes's do?" asked Jacob, in happy ignorance.
"Do!" returned Brumm. "Don't you know——"
But at that critical moment, Mrs. Cross, in bustling behind Andrew Brumm's chair, which was on the tilt, contrived to get her foot entangled in it. Brumm, his chair, and his pipe, all came down together.
"Mercy on us!" uttered Jacob Cross, coming to the rescue. "How did you manage that, Brumm?"
Before Brumm could answer, or had well gathered himself up, there was another visitor—Mr. Abbott, the landlord of at least a third of Honey Fair. He had come on his usual Monday's errand. Jacob Cross put down his pipe and touched his hat, which, in the manners of Honey Fair, was worn indoors. It was not often that the landlord and the men came into contact with each other.
"Are you ready for me, Mrs. Cross?"
"We are not ready to-day, sir," interposed Jacob. "You must please to give us a little grace these hard times, sir. The moment I be in work again, I'll think of you, before I think of ourselves."