"Tell us how you came by the bird;
it's sure to be a good story."
Jimmy, having found a seat and had a mug of beer put before him, began
by remarking that he knew someone had been interesting himself in that
bird of his. "When I went home to tea this afternoon," he continued,
"my missus, she says to me: 'There's that bird of yours again,' she
says."
"'What bird,' says I. 'If you mean Jac,' says I, 'what's he done now? -
out with it.'
"'We'll talk about what he's done bimeby,' says she. 'What I mean is, a
gentleman called to ask about that bird.'
"'Oh, did he?' says I. 'Yes,' she says. 'I told him I didn't know
nothing about it. He could go and ask you. You'd be sure to tell him a
lot.'
"'And what did the gentleman say to that?' says I.
"'He arsked me who you was, an' I said you was the sweep an' you had a
carpenter's shop near the pub, and was supposed to do carpentering.'
"Supposed to do carpentering! That's how she said it.
"'And what did the gentleman say to that?' says I.
"'He said he thought he seen you at the inn, and I said that's just
where he would see you.'
"'Anything more between you and the gentleman?' says I, and she said:
'No, nothing more except that he said he'd look you up and arst if you
was a funny little fat man, sort of round, with a little red face.' And
I said, 'Yes, that's him.'"
