"No, but other people do, worse luck," said Mrs Yabsley.

Jonah stared at the child in silence. Mrs Yabsley turned and poked the
fire under the copper boiler. Suddenly Jonah lifted his head and cried:

"I say, missis, I can see a hole in a ladder plain enough! Yer mean
I've got ter marry Ada?"

The old woman left the fire and stood in front of him.

"Not a bit, Joe. I've give up that idea. Marriage wouldn't suit yous.
Your dart is ter be King of the Push, an' knock about the streets with a
lot of mudlarks as can't look a p'liceman straight in the face. You an'
yer pals are seein' life now all right; but wait till yer bones begin ter
stiffen, an' yer can't run faster than the cop. Then it'll be jail or
worse, an' yous might 'ave bin a good workman, with a wife an' family,
only yer knowed better--"

"'Ere, steady on the brake, missis," interrupted Jonah, with a frown.

"No, Joe, I don't mind sayin' that I 'ad some idea of marryin' yous an'
Ada, but ye're not the man I took yer for an' I give it up. I don't
believe in a man marryin' because 'e wants a woman ter cook 'is meals.
My idea is a man wants ter git married because 'e's found out a lot o'
surprisin' things in the world 'e niver dreamt of before. An' it's only
when 'e's found somethin' ter live for, an' work for, that 'e's wot yer
rightly call a man. That's w'y I don't worry about you, Joe. I can see
your time ain't come."

"Don't be too bleedin' sure," cried Jonah, angrily.