“I beg your pardon, sir, but I am used to find Mr. Riah at this time, and so I generally come at this time. I only want to buy my poor little two shillings’ worth of waste. Perhaps you’ll kindly let me have it, and I’ll trot off to my work.”

“ I let you have it?” said Fledgeby, turning his head towards her; for he had been sitting blinking at the light, and feeling his cheek. “Why, you don’t really suppose that I have anything to do with the place, or the business; do you?”

“Suppose?” exclaimed Miss Wren. “He said, that day, you were the master!”

“The old cock in black said? Riah said? Why, he’d say anything.”

“Well; but you said so too,” returned Miss Wren. “Or at least you took on like the master, and didn’t contradict him.”