The Outlaws entered sheepishly. William was spokesman.
“This your father?” he said to the little girl.
“Yes,” said the little girl.
“Well, we’ve sort of got him work,” said William, “what I mean to say is that someone went to be drawed for him in these things an’ we’re goin’ to try jolly hard to get the money from the man what drawed it to-morrow, an’—we’ll give it him an——”
The man laid down his knife and fork, swallowed a large mouthful of pork unmasticated, and said:
“Wot cher mean?”
“Well,” explained William, “she told us ’bout you bein’ out of work——”
“Me out of work,” said the man indignantly.
“Oh, they are such stupid boys,” burst out the little girl. “I was havin’ a nice little game all to myself pretendin’ to be a little girl in a book wiv a daddy out of work an’ they came interferin’—an’ then I was pretendin’ to be a little girl in a book wiv a daddy what was ill an’ they came again interferin’——”
“Weren’t you ill?” stammered William.