Owen spent the greater part of the dinner hour by himself in the drawing-room making pencil sketches in his pocket-book and taking measurements. In the evening after leaving off, instead of going straight home as usual he went round to the Free Library to see if he could find anything concerning Moorish decorative work in any of the books there. Although it was only a small and ill-equipped institution he was rewarded by the discovery of illustrations of several examples of which he made sketches. After about an hour spent this way, as he was proceeding homewards he observed two children—a boy and a girl—whose appearance seemed familiar. They were standing at the window of a sweetstuff shop examining the wares exposed therein. As Owen came up the children turned round and they recognized each other simultaneously. They were Charley and Elsie Linden. Owen spoke to them as he drew near and the boy appealed to him for his opinion concerning a dispute they had been having.
“I say, mister. Which do you think is the best: a fardensworth of everlasting stickjaw torfee, or a prize packet?”
“I’d rather have a prize packet,” replied Owen, unhesitatingly.
“There! I told you so!” cried Elsie, triumphantly.
“Well, I don’t care. I’d sooner ’ave the torfee,” said Charley, doggedly.
“Why, can’t you agree which of the two to buy?”
“Oh no, it’s not that,” replied Elsie. “We was only just SUPPOSING what we’d buy if we ’ad a fardin; but we’re not really goin’ to buy nothing, because we ain’t got no money.”
“Oh, I see,” said Owen. “But I think I have some money,” and putting his hand into his pocket he produced two halfpennies and gave one to each of the children, who immediately went in to buy the toffee and the prize packet, and when they came out he walked along with them, as they were going in the same direction as he was: indeed, they would have to pass by his house.
“Has your grandfather got anything to do yet?” he inquired as they went along.
“No. ’E’s still walkin’ about, mister,” replied Charley.