“He shook ’is ’ead at ’em, and telling his wife to give the ‘Dook o’ Wellington’ a mug of water, sat down in the chair agin and wiped the sweat off ’is brow.
“Bill Chambers did a bit o’ thinking as they walked up the road, and by and by ’e turns to Joe Gubbins and ’e ses:
“‘Seen anything o’ George English lately, Joe?’
“‘Yes,’ ses Joe.
“‘Seems to me we all ’ave,’ ses Sam Jones.
“None of ’em liked to say wot was in their minds, ’aving all seen George English and swore pretty strong not to tell his secret, and none of ’em liking to own up that they’d been digging up their gardens to get money as ’e’d told ’em about. But presently Bill Chambers ses:
“‘Without telling no secrets or breaking no promises, Joe, supposing a certain ’ouse was mentioned in a certain letter from forrin parts, wot ’ouse was it?’
“‘Supposing it was so,’ ses Joe, careful too; ‘the second ’ouse counting from the Cauliflower.’
“‘The ninth ’ouse, you mean,’ ses Henery Walker, sharply.
“‘Second ’ouse in Mill Lane, you mean,’ ses Sam Jones, wot lived there.