"Why not, indeed?" said Mr. R----. "And as we want to learn, not only
what has become of Mrs. Joplin, but what she did with the child she
carried off from ----, begin at the beginning and tell us all you know."

Bill mused. "How much is there in the pus?"

"Eighteen sovereigns."

"Make it twenty--you nod--twenty then? A bargain! Now I'll go on right
ahead. You see as how, some months arter we--that is, Peggy Joplin and
self--left ----, I was put in quod in Lancaster jail; so I lost sight of
the blowen. When I got out and came to Lunnun, it was a matter of seven
year afore, all of a sudding, I came bang up agin her,--at the corner of
Common Garden. 'Why, Bill!' says she. 'Why, Peggy!' says I; and we
bussed each other like winky. 'Shall us come together agin?' says she.
'Why, no,' says I; 'I has a wife wots a good 'un, and gets her bread by
setting up as a widder with seven small childern. By the by, Peg, what's
a come of your brat?' for as you says, sir, Peg had a child put out to
her to nurse. Lor', how she cuffed it! 'The brat!' says she, laughing
like mad, 'oh, I got rid o' that when you were in jail, Bill.' 'As how?'
says I. 'Why, there was a woman begging agin St. Poll's churchyard; so I
purtended to see a frind at a distance: "'Old the babby a moment," says
I, puffing and panting, "while I ketches my friend yonder." So she 'olds
the brat, and I never sees it agin; and there's an ind of the bother!'
'But won't they ever ax for the child,--them as giv' it you?' 'Oh, no,'
says Peg, 'they left it too long for that, and all the tin was agone; and
one mouth is hard enough to feed in these days,--let by other folks'
bantlings.' 'Well,' says I, 'where do you hang out? I'll pop in, in a
friendly way.' So she tells me,--som'ere in Lambeth,--I forgets