"Where does she live, then?"
"She doesn't live nowhere. She's a tramper."
"Where is she now?"
"How can I tell? We shall pick up somewhere. Let me go, and take
Silly Billy with me. I shall get such a licking if I don't."
"Is his name Billy?"
"No, Silly Billy, all then chaps as is fools are called Silly Billy. You know that, don't you? Oh, I say, do let's go now, there's good fellows!"
"Wait a moment, boy—not so fast. How long have you been acquainted with this unfortunate?"
"What, Silly Billy? Oh, we ain't very old friends! I only see'd him yesterday. He came up quite unawares to our camp whilst we were grubbing. He seemed very hungry, so mother gave him summut, and made him up a bed—and she means to have him. So she sent me out this morning a-begging with him, and told me she'd break every gallows bone I'd got, if I did not bring him back safe. I say, now I have told all, let us go—there's a good gentleman! I'm quite glad he is going to live with us. It's so lucky to have a Silly Billy."
"How is it, you young rascal, you didn't tell me all this before?
What do you mean by it?
"Why, it isn't no business of your'n. Let us go, will you?"