"Couldn't you make it a four-wheeler, Sam," said Mrs Jenkles, one
evening, "and take me up and bring us all back together?"
"Now, lookye here, old lady," said Sam, "I don't want to be hard, nor I
don't want to be soft, but what I says is this here--Where's it going to
end?"
"What _do_ you mean, Sam?" exclaimed Mrs Jenkles.
"What I says, my dear--Where's it going to end? You've got over me
about the money, and you've got over me about the lodgings. You're
allus going to Mrs Lane to tea, as I knows they don't find; and now you
wants me to give up my 'ansom, borrer a four-wheeler, and lose 'bout a
pound as I should make in fares; and what I says is--Where's it going to
end?"
"Sam, Sam, Sam," said Mrs Jenkles, "when did you ever go out with your
cab for about a couple of hours and make a pound?"
Sam stood rubbing his nose, and there was a droll twinkle in his eye as
he replied--
"Well, I might make a pound, you know."
"Now don't talk stuff, Sam, but go to the yard and change your cab, take
me up there, and bring us all back comfortable."
"You're argoing it, you are, missus," said Sam. "That's the way--order
your kerridge. `Sam,' says you, `the kerridge at six.' `Yes, mum,'
says I. `Oppery or dinner party?' `Only to make a hevening call, Sam,'
says you. `Werry good, mum,' says I."
"If you want me to go up there by myself, Sam, and fetch them, I'll go,
and we can get back somehow by the 'bus; but I thought you'd like to
come up and see that those ladies and your wife weren't insulted."
"I should jest like to catch anybody at it, that's all," said Sam,
sharply.
"I didn't mean to say anything, Sam," continued Mrs Jenkles; "for I
thought if we'd got such a man as you with us, no one would dare to
interfere."
"Now, look here," said Sam, "I never did come across such an old snail
as you are, missus; I like the allus being at home part of it, but it's
the hiding as I don't like. Now, look here, I never does nothing
without coming and telling you all about it; and as for you, why, you've
allus got something in the way for me to find out."
"What's the use of me bothering you with trifles, Sam, when you've got
plenty of troubles on your mind? I would tell you if it was anything
you need know."
"Well, come now, what's it all mean bout Miss Lane?" said Sam.
"Only, dear, that since those people have found that Mrs Lane meant to
leave, they've turned very strange, and the poor child's quite
frightened and timid like."
"Now, why couldn't you say so at first," said Sam, "instead of dodging
and hiding, and making a blind man's buffer of me? That's it, is it?
Mr Barney of the betting ring--`Ten to one bar one'--means to be nasty,
does he? Well, all I've got to say is, just let him try it on, that's
all!"
"Now, there it is," said Mrs Jenkles; "that's just what I want to
avoid. Tell you about it, and you want to do the very thing as will
upset that poor girl; and oh! Sam, do be careful, she--"
Mrs Jenkles added something in a whisper.
"I'll be careful enough," said Sam; "and look here--how long shall you
be?"
"I'm ready now, Sam," said his wife.
"Yes, but I've got to go down to the yard, and get the keb changed; take
me 'bout three-quarters of an hour, it will, and then I'm back."