“Shan’t ur?”
“You see there’s only one witness, besides yourself, on our side.”
“And ’eve gone for a soger,” said Mr. Bumpkin.
“A soldier!” exclaimed Prigg. “A soldier, my dear Bumpkin. No—no—you don’t say so, really!”
“Ay, sure ’ave ur; and wot the devil I be to do agin that there Snooks, as ’ll lie through a brick wall, I beant able to say. I be pooty nigh off my chump wot wi’ one thing and another.”
“Off what, sir?” enquired Mr. Prigg.
“Chump,” shouted Bumpkin.
“O, indeed, yes; dear me, you don’t say so. Well, now I’m glad I called. I must see about this. What regiment did you say he’d joined?”
“Hoosors!”
“Ha! dear me, has he, indeed?” said Mr. Prigg, noting it down in his pocket-book. “What a pity for a young man like that to throw himself away—such an intelligent young fellow, too, and might have done so well; dear me!”