"No, sir, they're not. Most of 'em are at work when he comes. They may know some'at about him, but the women contrives to deceive 'em, and they suspects nothing. The fellow with the pack don't concern them or their folk at home, as they supposes, an' so they never bothers theirselves about him or his doings. I'd like to drop a hint to some of 'em to go home unexpected some Tuesday afternoon; but maybe it's best let alone." "I suppose your wife is one of the sensible ones, Dovey?" And I kept my countenance as I said it. "She daredn't be nothing else, Master Johnny. I be a trifle loud if I'm put out. Not she," emphatically added Dovey, his strong, bared arm dealing a heavy blow on the anvil, and sending up a whole cloud of sparks. "I'd never get put in jail for her, as she knows; I'd shave her hair off first. Run up a score with that there Jellico? No, she'd not be such a idiot as that. You should hear how she goes on again her neighbours that does run it, and the names she calls 'em." Poor John Dovey! Where ignorance is bliss---- "Why, if I thought my wife could hoodwink me as some of 'em does their men, I'd never hold up my head of one while, for shame; no, not in my own forge," continued Dovey. "Ann's temper's a bit trying sometimes, and wants keeping in order; but she'd be above deceit o' that paltry sort. She don't need to act it, neither; I give her a whole ten shillings t'other day, and she went and laid it out at Alcester." No doubt. Any amount of shillings would soon be sacrificed to Ann's vanity. "How much longer is that thing going to take, Dovey?" interposed Stirling. "Just about two minutes, sir. 'Twere a cranky---- There he goes." The break in Dovey's answer was caused by the appearance of Jellico. He came out, shouldering his pack. The blacksmith looked after him down the Cut, and saw him turn in elsewhere. "I thought 'twas where he was going," said he; "'tain't often he passes that there dwelling. Other houses seem to have their days, turn and turn about; but that 'un gets him constant." "It's where Bird's wife lives, is it not, Dovey?" "It's where she lives, fast enough, sir. And Bird, he be safe at his over-looking work, five miles off, without fear of his popping in home to hinder the dealing and chaffering. But she'd better mind--though Bird do get a'most three pound a-week, he have got means for every sixpence of it, with his peck o' childern, six young 'uns of her'n, and six of his first wife's, and no more'n one on 'em yet able to earn a penny-piece. If Bird thought she was running up a score with Jellico, he'd give her two black eyes as soon as look at her." "Bird's wife never seems to have any good clothes at all; she looks as if she hadn't a decent gown to her back," said Frank.