"'We'll talk about what he's done bimeby,' says she. 'What I mean is, a gentleman called to ask about that bird.'
"'Oh, did he?' says I. 'Yes,' she says. 'I told him I didn't know nothing about it. He could go and ask you. You'd be sure to tell him a lot.'
"'And what did the gentleman say to that?' says I.
"'He arsked me who you was, an' I said you was the sweep an' you had a carpenter's shop near the pub, and was supposed to do carpentering.'
"Supposed to do carpentering! That's how she said it.
"'And what did the gentleman say to that?' says I.
"'He said he thought he seen you at the inn, and I said that's just where he would see you.'
"'Anything more between you and the gentleman?' says I, and she said:
'No, nothing more except that he said he'd look you up and arst if you
was a funny little fat man, sort of round, with a little red face.' And
I said, 'Yes, that's him.'"
Here I thought it time to break in. "It's true," I said, "I called at your cottage and saw your wife, but there's no truth in the account you've given of the conversation I had with her."
There was a general laugh. "Oh, very well," said Jimmy. "After that
I've nothing more to say about the bird or anything else."