“Thank’ee,” said the fat boy.

“You ain’t got nothin’ on your mind as makes you fret yourself, have you?” inquired Sam.

“Not as I knows on,” replied the fat boy.

“I should rayther ha’ thought, to look at you, that you was a-labourin’ under an unrequited attachment to some young ’ooman,” said Sam.

The fat boy shook his head.

“Vell,” said Sam, “I am glad to hear it. Do you ever drink anythin’?”

“I likes eating better,” replied the boy.

“Ah,” said Sam, “I should ha’ s’posed that; but what I mean is, should you like a drop of anythin’ as’d warm you? but I s’pose you never was cold, with all them elastic fixtures, was you?”