Nicky-Nan, Reservist

k to the door, and goodness knew what the Penhaligon children might not be up to in these holiday times. Also h

ch coin on his table, had accepted the seven pieces for currency. Bu

se broader pieces out and stacked them apart. Of the last ten he had made a mixed pile,-four broad coins at the base, six narrower ones above; and from this he had taken, purely by chance, the s

on his way home he made a detour to hobble into Mr Gedye's shop-"S. Gedye, Ironmonge

e weather was settled at last, and trusted it would assist the Russians in mobilising. The slower Mr

over in his own country, and the Radical agent over to Troy got wind o' this an' took steps to naturalise him. It took seven years. . . . But put him on deck in a gale o' wind and a better skipper (I'm told) you wouldn' meet in a day's march. When he got up an' dressed, he'd dander down to the butcher's an' point to the fatty parts of the meat with the end of his walking-stick, which was made out of a shark's backbone, if you ever! In my experience, a

n these times," said Nicky-

I can do for 'ee in th

wandering around the shop. "But I'll take t

-day? Then one-an'-three and one is two-an'-three, an' two two's four, two-an'-seven, screws

rried home in a twitter of nervousness, which increased as he drew near to his front door. In the passage he stumbled against a pail of water, all but u

t. The threadbare tablecloth rested as he had spread it, covering the piles of gold; th

flooring of the passage. Mrs Penhaligon's father had been a groom in Squire Tresawna's service, and she had a trick of hissing softly while she scrubbed, as grooms do in washing-down and curry combing the

ry lime into one heap, and gently tilted the coarse residuum upon another, after searching it carefully

more ancient times gold had been paid in guineas; that guineas were then worth much more than their face value, because of the great amount of paper money; that Jews went ab

was threatening to invade us; and had kept up the habit in later and more prosperous years, long after the cur

n back and reins: his

rest and spend it in e

t rid of the rubbish wi

s only po

e time of his tenancy. Door and fireplace had provided bet

ith a jump of the heart the weight thud down behind the woodwork: then, as he groped hastily behind him for a brick, to prop the sash, it came down with a run, and closed its descent with a jar th

thrust open on the f

s voice

clucky down an' hide-an' after breakin' Mr Nanjivell's windows,

of sight, clutching the woodwork of the window-sill wi

the voice went on. "With no

's parental kindness, good father though he was. To "war

u can find no better way of employing your holidays than scatterin' other folks' glass to the danger o'

o never missed an opportunity to make trouble. Her allusion to wiping her arms before action he as swiftly understood. The window across the strea

ned to be unpleasant-she did not punctually perform. With swift cunning he snatched

upon the Quay playing. By rights they should have returned half an hour before: it was, indeed, close upon dinner-time. But she had been in the passage for a whole hour, with just an interval now and then fo

erment, at the sound of hammering, to perceive Nicky-Nan at the end of

u?" persisted Mrs Climoe, atte

orted Mrs Penhaligon, b

could take my oath, he

tin' a lock on his doorway, 'nless 'tis to prev

No children! She came down the passage and close behind Nicky-Nan (who continued to hammer hypocritically), she

If they're really here and h

m me, ma'am," answered Nicky-Nan,

Maria Penhaligon, an' your proper husband not two days gone to the wars. But if Nicholas Nanjivell, here, chooses to play father to the fatherless an' cove

t. For at this moment the three Penhaligon children broke in at the porch

inst it. Then he took a worn tea-tray and propped it against the window, blocking the broken panes.