“Well, sir, he would a’ done if I adn’t a bobbed.”
“Good: that’s an assault in law. You are sure he would have struck you if you hadn’t ducked or bobbed your head?”
“In course it would, else why should I bob?”
“Just so—just so. Now then, we’ve got him there—we’ve got him nicely.”
Snooks’ eyes gleamed.
“Next I want to know: I suppose you didn’t owe him anything?”
“No, nor no other man,” said Snooks, with an air of triumph. “I worked hard for what I got, and no man can’t ax me for a farden. I allays paid twenty shillings in the pound.”
The reader will observe how virtuous both parties were on this point.
“So!” said Locust. “Now you haven’t told me all that took place.”