“‘We’ve ’ad a loss,’ ses Mrs. Reddish. She touched ’erself, and then they see she was all in black, and that Ted Reddish was wearing a black tie and a bit o’ crape round ’is arm.
“‘Sorry to ’ear it, mum,’ ses old Sam.
“‘It was very sudden, too,’ ses Mrs. Reddish, wiping ’er eyes.
“‘That’s better than laying long,’ ses Peter Russet, comforting like.
“Ginger Dick gives a cough. ‘Twenty-five pounds was wot ’e’d come for; not to ’ear this sort o’ talk.’
“‘We’ve been in the wild-beast line seven-an’-twenty years,’ ses Mrs. Reddish, ‘and it’s the fust time anythink of this sort ’as ’appened.’
“‘’Ealthy family, I s’pose,’ ses Sam, staring.
“Tell ’im, Ted,’ ses Mrs. Reddish, in a ’usky whisper.
“‘No, you,’ ses Ted.
“‘It’s your place,’ ses Mrs. Reddish.