The girl gave her a pitiful look. So the day wore on, Mrs Jenkles taking dinner and tea with them, and seeing that each of them partook of a hearty meal, leaving about half-past nine with a bundle. It was sharp work to get home before Sam should arrive from the yard; but Mrs Jenkles managed it, had the table laid, the supper out, and the beer fetched, before he came in, took off his shiny hat and old coat, and seating himself began to fill his pipe. "Well, old lady," he said, "what time did yer get back?" "About a quarter of an hour ago," said Mrs Jenkles, as she took out some of the work upon which she had been engaged. Sam whistled and stared. "What's them?" he said, pointing with his pipe at the work. "Only some slop-work I want to finish." Mrs Jenkles seemed so busy, that she could not look up and meet her husband's eye. In fact, to use her own expression, she was all of a twitter, and did not know what Sam would say; for though she nominally ruled him, Sam had a will of his own. "Well, and did you find out about 'em?" "Yes, Sam," said Mrs Jenkles, without raising her eyes. "Bad lot, aint they?" he said, puffing away at his pipe. Mrs Jenkles shook her head. "What, aint I been took in, then?" said Sam. "Aint they deep, designing people, as got hold of yer poor innocent husband, and swindled him out of thirty bob?" "Oh, Sam, Sam!" exclaimed Mrs Jenkles, with her lip quivering, "I never see anything so pitiful in my life." "Poof!" exclaimed Sam, bursting out into a guffaw, as he turned in his seat, hugged the back of the chair, and shook with laughter. "That's my poor, silly, soft old wife, as can't be trusted out. Did they offer to pay you any of the money back?" Mrs Jenkles nodded. "How much?" "Half a sovereign, Sam." "Well, that's something; and jolly honest, too!" "But I didn't take it, Sam," said Mrs Jenkles, dropping her work, to go and rest her hands upon his shoulder. "You didn't take it?" "No, Sam, dear." "Then you've been and let 'em have more." "Yes, Sam, dear." "There's a wife for you," he said--"there's a helpmate; and I aint made my guv'nor's money to-day by four bob." "I couldn't help it, Sam--I couldn't, indeed," she said; bursting into tears; "it was so pitiful--she's a real lady, I'm sure, and her daughter, straining over that heart-breaking work; oh! it was more than I could bear." "I wasn't such a werry great fool, Sally," he said. "Oh no, Sam. Oh no. But I haven't told you all yet." "You haven't?" "No, dear." "Well, put me out of my misery at once," said Sam, "that's all." "Don't be angry with me, Sam, it'll come back to us some way, I hope; and if it don't, we shall only have done what thousands more would have done if they had only known." "Let's have it," said Sam, gruffly. "They're paying seven and six, Sam, for those wretched rooms, and the woman's a horrid creature." "Yes, she is that," said Sam, nodding.