"Yes, my dear," said Tim, humbly, glad to have averted the current of his lady's wrath. "Are those trousers nearly done?" said Mrs Ruggles. "Very nearly, my dear," replied Tim, throwing his iron duster, and some more scraps over the spot where lay the doll. "Because you have to go to Pellet's, mind, this afternoon." "Thinking about 'em when you was on the stairs, my dear," said Tim, and this time he spoke the truth. Volume 1, Chapter XI. HOMELY. This was a busy day in Duplex Street: in fact, most days were busy there, and Mrs Jared and Patty were in a state of bustle from morning till night. For, being a poor man's wife, Mrs Jared had grown of late years to think that doing nothing stood next door to a sin, and consequently she worked hard, early and late. But this was a Saturday--a day upon which all the juveniles rose with sorrow in their hearts, since it was washing day. Not the washing day when the copper was lit in the back kitchen, and Mrs Winks from the Seven Dials came to work with crimpy hands by the day, making the house full of steam and the cold mutton to taste of soap, but a day when there was a family wash of the little Pellets. Mrs Jared's task had of late years grown to be rather heavy, the consequence being that she had become on her part more vigorous of arm, more bustling of habit. Certainly during these weekly lamb-washings there used to be a good deal of outcry--Mrs Jared being the washer, and Patty undertaking the head-dressing and finger and toe-nails of the smaller members, bringing to an end her part of the performance by carrying them up pig-a-back to bed like so many little sacks. But in consequence of numbers, the first washed had of necessity to go very early to rest--a fact productive of much crowding and getting behind one another, the strongest in this case going to the wall, and thrusting the weaker before them. Mrs Jared had been very busy all day--at least what should have been all day--though in consequence of a heavy fog, and the neutralising lamp-light, it seemed to have been all night. She had made a mistake that morning, and risen two hours before her customary time, the consequence being that cleaning matters were the same period of time in advance; and in place of the lavations taking place after tea, they were all over before, and the shining faces, that had lately been screwed up, were once more beginning to look happy and contented, though, by some strange fatality, their owners seemed to be always in Mrs Jared's way.