“‘I could see it by your eyes,’ ses Job. ‘What you want is a change, Polly. Why not go and see your sister at Wickham?”
“‘I don’t like leaving you alone,’ ses Mrs. Brown, ’else I’d like to go. I want to do a little shopping.’
“‘You go, my dear,’ ses Job. ‘I shall be quite ’appy sitting at the gate in the sun with a glass o’ milk an’ a pipe.’
“He persuaded ’er at last, and, in a fit o’ generosity, gave ’er three shillings to go shopping with, and as soon as she was out o’ sight he went off with a crutch and a stick, smiling all over ’is face. He met Dick Weed in the road and they shook ’ands quite friendly, and Job asked ’im to ’ave a drink. Then Henery White and some more chaps came along, and by the time they got to the Cauliflower they was as merry a party as you’d wish to see.
“Every man ’ad a pint o’ beer, which Job paid for, not forgetting Smith ’isself, and Job closed ’is eyes with pleasure as ’e took his. Then they began to talk about ’is accident, and Job showed ’em is leg and described wot it felt like to be a teetotaler for seven weeks.
“‘And I’ll trouble you for that five pounds, Smith,’ ’e ses, smiling. ‘I’ve been without anything stronger than milk for seven weeks. I never thought when I wrote that paper I was going to earn my own money.’
“‘None of us did, Job,’ ses Smith. ‘D’ye think that leg’ll be all right agin? As good as the other, I mean?’
“‘Doctor ses so,’ ses Job.
“‘It’s wonderful wot they can do nowadays,’ ses Smith, shaking ’is ’ead.
“‘’Strordinary,’ ses Job; ‘where’s that five pounds, Smith?’