in trolling his
forefinger on the wires, that he made no answer.

The old woman had her clutch within a hair's breadth of his shock of
hair as it stooped over the table; but she restrained her fingers, and
said, in a voice that choked with its efforts to be coaxing:

'Robby, my child.'

'Well, Misses Brown,' returned the Grinder.

'I say I wonder Master didn't take you with him, dear.'

'Never you mind, Misses Brown,' returned the Grinder.

Mrs Brown instantly directed the clutch of her right hand at his hair,
and the clutch of her left hand at his throat, and held on to the object
of her fond affection with such extraordinary fury, that his face began
to blacken in a moment.

'Misses Brown!' exclaimed the Grinder, 'let go, will you? What are you
doing of? Help, young woman! Misses Brow--Brow--!'

The young woman, however, equally unmoved by his direct appeal to her,
and by his inarticulate utterance, remained quite neutral, until, after
struggling with his assailant into a corner, Rob disengaged himself,
and stood there panting and fenced in by his own elbows, while the old
woman, panting too, and stamping with rage and eagerness, appeared to be
collecting her energies for another swoop upon him. At this crisis Alice
interposed her voice, but not in the Grinder's favour, by saying,

'Well done, mother. Tear him to pieces!'

'What, young woman!' blubbered Rob; 'are you against me too? What have
I been and done? What am I to be tore to pieces for, I should like to
know? Why do you take and choke a cove who has never done you any harm,
neither of you? Call yourselves females, too!' said the frightened and
afflicted Grinder, with his coat-cuff at his eye. 'I'm surprised at you!
Where's your feminine tenderness?'

'You thankless dog!' gasped Mrs Brown. 'You impudent insulting dog!'

'What have I been and done to go and give you offence, Misses Brown?'
retorted the fearful Rob. 'You was very much attached to me a minute
ago.'

'To cut me off with his short answers and his sulky words,' said the
old woman. 'Me! Because I happen to be curious to have a little bit of
gossip about Master and the lady, to dare to play at fast and loose with
me! But I'll talk to you no more, my lad. Now go!'

'I'm sure, Misses Brown,' returned the abject Grinder, 'I never
Insiniwated that I wished to go. Don't talk like that, Misses Brown, if
you please.'

'I won't talk at all,' said Mrs Brown, with an action of her crooked
fin