“My eldest brother was troubled with that complaint,” said Sam; “it may be catching⁠—I used to sleep with him.”

“This is a curious old house of yours,” said the little man, looking round him.

“If you’d sent word you was a-coming, we’d ha’ had it repaired”; replied the imperturbable Sam.

The little man seemed rather baffled by these several repulses, and a short consultation took place between him and the two plump gentlemen. At its conclusion, the little man took a pinch of snuff from an oblong silver box, and was apparently on the point of renewing the conversation, when one of the plump gentlemen, who in addition to a benevolent countenance, possessed a pair of spectacles, and a pair of black gaiters, interfered⁠—

“The fact of the matter is,” said the benevolent gentleman, “that my friend here (pointing to the other plump gentleman) will give you half a guinea, if you’ll answer one or two⁠—”