“I’ve got thruppence,” she said.
They walked on as far as Bloomsbury in order that they might have full money’s worth. When they boarded a departing tram, and the conductor shouted to them to get off, it delighted Bobbie very much to be able to confound the man by declaring themselves as passengers. To do honour to the occasion the boy rolled a cigarette, and, turning to a tall spectacled young man on the seat behind them, borrowed a match.
“Take two,” said the tall young man.
As the tram sailed past the lighted shops in Theobald’s Road, Trixie passed the twopence furtively to her companion, who paid the conductor with a lordly air, offering at the same time a few criticisms on the conductor’s appearance. Presently the girl touched very lightly his hand and moved nearer to him.
“Keep your ’ead off my shoulder,” he remarked brusquely.
“I want to tell you something,” said Trixie.
“Needn’t get so close.”
“My mother says—”
“What,” said Bobbie, “is the old cat still alive?”
“My mother says that if you like to leave those people what you’re with now and come and work at our shop as a errand boy—”