"Wot's the matter with it?" ses Mrs. Cook flaring up.

"Come inside and look at it," ses Emma, taking 'old of his arm.

"Not me," ses Charlie, hanging back. "Why, I wouldn't take it at a
gift."

He stood there on the kerbstone, and all they could do 'e wouldn't budge.
He said it was a bad road and a little shop, and 'ad got a look about it
he didn't like. They walked back 'ome like a funeral procession, and
Emma 'ad to keep saying "_H's!_" in w'ispers to 'er mother all the way.

[Illustration: "He said it was a had road and a little shop, and 'ad got
a look about it he didn't like."]

"I don't know wot Charlie does want, I'm sure," ses Mrs. Cook, taking off
'er bonnet as soon as she got indoors and pitching it on the chair he was
just going to set down on.

"It's so awk'ard," ses old Cook, rubbing his 'cad. "Fact is, Charlie, we
pretty near gave 'em to understand as we'd buy it."

"It's as good as settled," ses Mrs. Cook, trembling all over with temper.

"They won't settle till they get the money," ses Charlie. "You may make
your mind easy about that."

"Emma's drawn it all out of the bank ready," ses old Cook, eager like.