"Noa, it's Jim."

"It isn't Sam Shackleton tha meeans, is it? He sells fish sometimes."

"Aw tell thi his name's Jim Nation."

"O,--well,--then it willn't be Sam Shackleton. Awm like as if aw know
th' chap tha meeans but aw connot spot him this minnit. Let's goa into
th' 'Star' an mak some enquirements, ther's sewer to be somdy 'll know
him."

Soa into th' 'Star' they went, an Tom called for a pint for hissen an
axt Grimes what he wor gooing to have. "We connot come in an goa aght
drymaath, tha knows," sed Tom, soa Grimes ordered twopenoth an paid for
booath. Then they axt ivverybody if they knew whear Jim Nation's fish
shop wor, but altho two or three on em believed they'd seen it, nubdy
could tell whear.

"We'd better have another drink an sit daan a bit," sed Tom, "ther'll be
sewer for somdy to come in at'll know."

But Sammywell worn't havin onny moor o' that sooart, so he left em. When
he wor aght ith' street ageean, he scrat his heead an sed summat he
shouldn't.

"What a lumpheead aw am! Why didn't aw goa to ax Mistress Whitin at
furst, an save misen all this bother?" an he started at once for her
haase.

He faand her sittin sewin,--for ther's little or noa trade dooin in a