She waved her head. "Did you charge him anything?"

"Gratis," said Mr. Polly. "I never thought of it."

The plump woman pressed her hands to her sides and laughed silently

for a space. "You ought to have charged him sumpthing," she said. "You

better come and have your cold meat, before you do any more puntin'.

You and me'll get on together."

Presently she came and stood watching him eat. "You eat better than

you punt," she said, and then, "I dessay you could learn to punt."

Wax to receive and marble to retain," said Mr. Polly. "This beef is a

Bit of All Right, Ma'm. I could have done differently if I hadn't been

punting on an empty stomach. There's a lear feeling as the pole goes

in--"

I've never held with fasting," said the plump woman.

You want a ferryman?"

I want an odd man about the place."

I'm odd, all right. What's your wages?"

Not much, but you get tips and pickings. I've a sort of feeling it

267

The History of Mr Polly