“You’re a gaby!” he said to his benefactor.
“What is that?” said Bertie.
But Dick felt that it was more prudent not to explain.
In half an hour Tam burst into the room, breathless and joyous, his scruples having disappeared under the basket he bore.
“She gived me five shillin’!” he shouted; “and I’s sure they’s wuth a deal more, ’cos her eyes twinkled and winked, and she shoved me a peg-top in!”
“Gie us o’t!” shrieked Dick, in an agony at being bound to the floor with all these good things before his sight.
Little Tam, who was very loyal, laid them all out on the ground before his elder: two quartern loaves, two pounds of beef, onions, potatoes, a bit of bacon, and a jug of milk.
Dick poured some milk into an old tin mug, and handed it roughly to Bertie.
“Feed the baby, will yer, whiles Tam and me cooks?”
The little Earl took the can, and advanced to the formidable bundle of rags, who was screaming like a very hoarse raven.