avin onny moor o' that sooart, so he left em. When
he wor aght ith' street ageean, he scrat his heead an sed summat he
shouldn't.

"What a lumpheead aw am! Why didn't aw goa to ax Mistress Whitin at
furst, an save misen all this bother?" an he started at once for her
haase.

He faand her sittin sewin,--for ther's little or noa trade dooin in a
milk shop after drinkin time.

"Wod yo be soa gooid, Mistress Whitin, as to tell me whear Jim Nation
has his fish shop?"

"Fish shop.--Jim Nation.--Nay, Mr. Grimes, awm sooary to say aw connot.
It's nowhear abaat here, that awm sewer on. Has he been ith' trade
long?"

"Well, this is the degger! Aw've happen getten th' wrang name; but awm
sewer that's what Mally tell'd me. But yo happen willn't mind tellin me
whear yo're husband buys his mussels?"

"Mussels! My husband nivver buys onny mussels. If he does he taks em
somewhear else to cook, for we havn't had sich a thing i' awr haase aw
couldn't tell th' time when. Awm feeard on 'em. Yo must be mistakken."

"Well, ther's a mistak somewhear,--that's a sartanty. My best plan will
be to goa back hooam an see if aw can get some better information."

"Tha's been a long time, Sammywell;--had ta onny trubble to find th'
shop?"

"Shop! Ther isn't sich a shop! Aw've walked monny a mile an axt scoors
o' fowk, an my belief is at tha's just been makkin a laffinstock on me.
Mistress Whitin says shoo nivver heeard tell o' sich a chap nor shop
nawther."

"Then hasn't ta browt onny?"

"Ha the dickens could aw bring onny when aw tell thi aw couldn't find
th' shop!"

"A child o' four year old could goa a eearand better nor thee! If awd
sent Jerrymier he'd ha browt em an they'd ha been cook't an etten befoor
nah."

"Well, it isn't too lat to send Jerrymier yet. But aw tell thi Mistress
Whitin says ther isn't sich a shop, an they nivver had a mussel i' ther
haase sin they wor born nor for years befoor that!"

"Ov course shoo'd say soa! That shows th' depth on her. Shoo wants to
have th' best o' ivverything for hersen. But aw'll goa an see if shoo'll
tell sich a tale to me. Her's isn't th' only milk shop i' Bradforth, an
aw'll nivver buy another drop on her as long as aw live. An if shoo
doesn't mind what shoo's dooin aw'll put th' inspector onto her, for its
moor watter nor milk at aw've been gettin thear for a long time."

Mally threw a shawl ovver her heead an tuk th' basket, an called for
Jerrymier, so as he could carry it for h