“Yes, gimcracks of a sort—rather heavy, though, we find them,” said Fan, not stopping to translate. “If you’ll lend a hand, we’d get along better.” “All right,” said I. “Zey is kep’ in ze bockat,” remarked Mounseer, luckily indicating some pails in the corner by a gesture of his hand. “Adoo, Pierre, I think we’d better alley,” remarked Fan. This, I must say, was the sort of French I liked. “To nex’ time, my cabbage!” said Pierre. Then while they were busy over the buckets I turned suddenly and beheld the engineer bestowing on Nellie an unmistakable kiss. “Hallo!” I said. “It’s only their foreign ways; like as if we was to shake hands,” cried Nellie, running forward and looking very rosy. “Come, catch a hoult on these pails, Dan’l; they’re main weighty for we maids.” I did catch hold of a couple of pails, one in each hand, and found that the last part of Nell’s remark was true. “Just feel the heft of un!” remarked Fanny. I did feel it a good deal before I had done with it. Nellie also carried a pail, and Frances a large bundle, done up in some old sacking. “What’s all that?” I inquired, as we made our way out of the prison. “Dirty clothes,” said Frances, sharply. “They must have some clean linen, I suppose, though they are Frenchmen!” It seemed to me that they managed to exist without it, but as the point was not material, and Frances appeared touchy, I held my tongue. “This young boy has giv’ a hand with the sweepings, Roche,” said Frances, as we passed that functionary. “Ay? Well, you and Nell be pretty well weighted too, surely,” drawled Roche. “Oh, gimcracks, and clothes for the wash-’us (house),” answered the girl lightly, and in another moment we were in freedom—in the open air. “Oh, poor chaps; how good it is!” said Nellie, drawing a long breath. We went round to a piece of untidy waste land behind the prison. “I’ll be bound your arms aches,” said Frances. “Drop the buckats, Dan’l, and thank ye.” “Here!” said I, “drop your gimcracks on this dirty place—what for?” “Oh, never mind what for; don’t argufy, my boy, them’s prison sweepings; the gimcracks is in Nellie’s pail.” “Oh, I thought these were mighty heavy gimcracks. Well, let me carry Nell’s pail to the shop.” “No, no!” cried Nell, stepping back, “I’d liefer car my own, don’t you trouble.” “Then I’ll take your dirty linen,” said I, making a sudden grab at Frances’ bundle. To my great surprise some bits of stone and a cloud of mortar flew out. “Hallo!” I said. “Look here, Dan’l,” said Fan, firmly, “we are greatly beholden for your help, but we don’t want no more at present. You go on with Dan’l, Nell, and leave me here to empt the buckats.”