“Now I'm off for the police,” cried his wife.
“Don't be a fool,” shouted Mr. Simpson, tugging wildly at the door-handle. “Open the door.”
Mrs. Simpson remained silent, and her husband resumed his efforts until the door-knob, unused to such treatment, came off in his hand. A sudden scrambling noise on the cellar stairs satisfied the listener that he had not pulled it off intentionally.
She stood for a few moments, considering. It was a stout door and opened inwards. She took her bonnet from its nail in the kitchen and, walking softly to the street-door, set off to lay the case before a brother who lived a few doors away.
“Poor old Bill,” said Mr. Cooper, when she had finished. “Still, it might be worse; he's got the barrel o' beer with him.”
“It's not Bill,” said Mrs. Simpson.
Mr. Cooper scratched his whiskers and looked at his wife.
“She ought to know,” said the latter. “We'll come and have a look at him,” said Mr. Cooper.
Mrs. Simpson pondered, and eyed him dubiously.
“Come in and have a bit of supper,” she said at last. “There's a nice piece of beef and pickles.”