owt had been foorced to put it o'th' census paper.
But what does ta think abaat old Strap puttin daan all his five childer
musicianers?"

"Nay aw dooant know, but he wor allus a foxy sooart ov a chap an' he'd
have some reason for it. But ha does ta mak it aat 'at they are all
musicians?"

"Why, ther's two bellringers, two drummers, an' one drum hugger, an they
all play off nooats, an' a varry long way off 'em sometimes. Did ta hear
tell abaat them two lads o' his havin that do i'th' church steeple?"

"Noa, indeed aw! Let's have it."

"Well tha knows it happened to be practice neet an' as Ike wor gooin to
th' church he bowt a sheep's pluck an' tuk it wi him, intendin to tak it
hooam an have it cooked for ther supper. He happened to be th' furst 'at
gate into th' bell chamer, soa he hung th' sheep pluck up agean th'
wall, an' then went daan agean, leavin a little lamp burnin i'th'
steeple. He'd hardly getten off th' step when his brother coom, an'
findin th' door oppen he went up; but befoor he gate thear, a gust o'
wind blew aat th' leet an' all wor as dark as pitch. He thowt it wor
varry strange for he knew Ike had come before him, soa he bawled aat
'Ike!' but nobody spaik. 'Aw know tha'rt up here,' he sed, 'soa let's ha
nooan o' thi tricks. Spaik, wi' ta?" but nowt spaik. Sid felt rayther
freetened, but he began to grope all raand th' walls, bein sure his
brother wor thear i'th' dark. All at once his hand coom agean a piece o'
liver, an' it felt soa cold, an' soa mich like a face, 'at he started
back, an' as sooin as he could find th' step, he ran daan as fast as he
could, an' when he gate to th' bottom he luk'd at his hand an' it wor
all blooidy. 'Awr Ike's cut his throit,' he sed, 'Whativer mun aw do?'
An he wor just gooin to yell aat 'Police!' when who should come up but
his brother. Th' seet on him tuk a gurt looard off Sid's mind, but yet
he wor varry freetened. 'What's th' matter, Sid,' sed his brother, 'tha
luks ill; Isn't th' pluck all reight?' 'Th' pluck's gooan,' sed Sid,
shakkin his heead an' puttin his hand on his heart. 'Gooan!--Aw'll niver
goa into that bell-chamer ageean as long as aw live! Aw've allus sed, if
a chap 'll rob another ov his livin, he'll rob him ov his life if he's a
chonce.'"

"'Well aw wor just thinkin a gooin for th' police,' sed Sid, 'but we
dooant know who it is.' Its one o'th' ringers as sure as we're here.'
'Hi, its one o'th' ringers noa daat, but aw hooap he hasn't a wife an'