hat the Orphan
(of whom he made mention as Our Johnny) had been ailing, and he had
waited to report him well.

'Then he is well now?' said the Secretary.

'No he ain't,' said Sloppy.

Mr Sloppy having shaken his head to a considerable extent, proceeded
to remark that he thought Johnny 'must have took 'em from the Minders.'
Being asked what he meant, he answered, them that come out upon him and
partickler his chest. Being requested to explain himself, he stated that
there was some of 'em wot you couldn't kiver with a sixpence. Pressed to
fall back upon a nominative case, he opined that they wos about as
red as ever red could be. 'But as long as they strikes out'ards, sir,'
continued Sloppy, 'they ain't so much. It's their striking in'ards
that's to be kep off.'

John Rokesmith hoped the child had had medical attendance? Oh yes, said
Sloppy, he had been took to the doctor's shop once. And what did the
doctor call it? Rokesmith asked him. After some perplexed reflection,
Sloppy answered, brightening, 'He called it something as wos wery
long for spots.' Rokesmith suggested measles. 'No,' said Sloppy with
confidence, 'ever so much longer than THEM, sir!' (Mr Sloppy was
elevated by this fact, and seemed to consider that it reflected credit
on the poor little patient.)

'Mrs Boffin will be sorry to hear this,' said Rokesmith.

'Mrs Higden said so, sir, when she kep it from her, hoping as Our Johnny
would work round.'

'But I hope he will?' said Rokesmith, with a quick turn upon the
messenger.

'I hope so,' answered Sloppy. 'It all depends on their striking
in'ards.' He then went on to say that whether Johnny had 'took 'em'
from the Minders, or whether the Minders had 'took em from Johnny,
the Minders had been sent home and had 'got em. Furthermore, that Mrs
Higden's days and nights being devoted to Our Johnny, who was never out
of her lap, the whole of the mangling arrangements had devolved upon
himself, and he had had 'rayther a tight time'. The ungainly piece of
honesty beamed and blushed as he said it, quite enraptured with the
remembrance of having been serviceable.

'Last night,' said Sloppy, 'when I was a-turning at the wheel pretty
late, the mangle seemed to go like Our Johnny's breathing. It begun
beautiful, then as it went out it shook a little and got unsteady, then
as it took the turn to come home it had a rattle-like and lumbered a
bit, then it come smooth, and so it went on till I scarce know'd which