“Ted Reddish was so surprised ’e couldn’t speak at fust. The wild man seemed to take ’is breath away, and ’e looked in a ’elpless kind o’ way at ’is wife, who’d just come down. She was a nice-lookin’ woman, fat, with a lot o’ yaller hair, and she smiled at ’em as though she’d known ’em all their lives. “‘Come into the parlour,’ she ses, kindly, just as Ted was beginning to get ’is breath. “They followed ’em in, and the wild man was just going to make hisself comfortable in a easy-chair, when Ginger give ’im a look, an’ ’e curled up on the ’earthrug instead. “‘’E ain’t a very fine specimen,’ ses Ted Reddish, at last. “‘It’s the red side-whiskers I don’t like,’ ses his wife. ‘Besides, who ever ’eard of a wild man in a collar an’ necktie?’ “‘You’ve got hold o’ the wrong one,’ ses Ted Reddish, afore Ginger Dick could speak up for hisself. “‘Oh, I beg your pardin,’ ses Mrs. Reddish to Ginger, very polite. ‘I thought it was funny a wild man should be wearing a collar. It’s my mistake. That’s the wild man, I s’pose, on the ’earthrug?’ “‘That’s ’im, mum,’ ses old Sam, very short. “‘He don’t look wild enough,’ ses Reddish. “‘No; ’e’s much too tame,’ ses ’is wife, shaking her yaller curls. “The chaps all looked at each other then, and the wild man began to think it was time he did somethink; and the nearest thing ’andy being Ginger’s leg, ’e put ’is teeth into it. _Anybody_ might ha’ thought Ginger was the wild man then, the way ’e went on, and Mrs. Reddish said that even if he so far forgot hisself as to use sich langwidge afore ’er, ’e oughtn’t to before a poor ’eathen animal. “‘How much do you want for ’im?’ ses Ted Reddish, arter Ginger ’ad got ’is leg away, and taken it to the winder to look at it. “‘One ’undered pounds,’ ses old Sam. “Ted Reddish looked at ’is wife, and they both larfed as though they’d never leave orf. “‘Why, the market price o’ the best wild men is only thirty shillings,’ ses Reddish, wiping ’is eyes. ‘I’ll give you a pound for ’im.’ “Old Sam looked at Russet, and Russet looked at Ginger, and then _they_ all larfed. “‘Well, there’s no getting over you, I can see that,’ ses Reddish, at last. ‘Is he strong?’ “‘Strong? Strong ain’t the word for it,’ ses Sam. “‘Bring ’im to the back and let ’im ’ave a wrestle with one o’ the brown bears, Ted,’ ses ’is wife. “‘’E’d kill it,’ ses old Sam, hastily. “‘Never mind,’ ses Reddish, getting up; ‘brown bears is cheap enough.’ “They all got up then, none of ’em knowing wot to do, except the wild man, that is, and _he_ got ’is arms tight round the leg o’ the table. “‘Well,’ ses Ginger, ‘we’ll be pleased for ’im to wrestle with the bear, but we must ’ave the ’undered quid fust, in case ’e injures ’isself a little.’ “Ted Reddish looked ’ard at ’im, and then he looked at ’is wife agin. “I’ll just go outside and talk it over with the missus,’ he ses, at last, and they both got up and went out. “‘It’s all right,’ ses old Sam, winking at Ginger.