“Oh, I am so glad,” replied Mr. Trotter; “is he here?”

“Is yourn?” asked Sam, by way of reply.

“Oh, yes, he is here, and I grieve to say, Mr. Weller, he is going on worse than ever.”

“Ah, ah!” said Sam.

“Oh, shocking⁠—terrible!”

“At a boarding-school?” said Sam.

“No, not at a boarding-school,” replied Job Trotter, with the same sly look which Sam had noticed before; “not at a boarding-school.”

“At the house with the green gate?” said Sam, eyeing his companion closely.