I an't a talker,' replied the other. 'Tell him so. What should I go and

talk for?'

'Don't you see the gentleman's got a bottle and glass up there?'

returned the little man.

And couldn't you have said so at first?' retorted the other with sudden

alacrity. 'Now, what are you waiting for? Are you going to keep the

gentleman expecting us all day? haven't you no manners?'

With this remonstrance, the melancholy man, who was no other than

Mr Thomas Codlin, pushed past his friend and brother in the craft, Mr

Harris, otherwise Short or Trotters, and hurried before him to the

single gentleman's apartment.

'Now, my men,' said the single gentleman; 'you have done very well.

What will you take? Tell that little man behind, to shut the door.'

Shut the door, can't you?' said Mr Codlin, turning gruffly to his

friend. 'You might have knowed that the gentleman wanted the door

shut, without being told, I think.'

Mr Short obeyed, observing under his breath that his friend seemed

unusually 'cranky,' and expressing a hope that there was no dairy in

the neighbourhood, or his temper would certainly spoil its contents.

The gentleman pointed to a couple of chairs, and intimated by an

emphatic nod of his head that he expected them to be seated. Messrs

Codlin and Short, after looking at each other with considerable doubt

and indecision, at length sat down - each on the extreme edge of the

chair pointed out to him - and held their hats very tight, while the

single gentleman filled a couple of glasses from a bottle on the table

beside him, and presented them in due form.

You're pretty well browned by the sun, both of you,' said their

entertainer. 'Have you been travelling?'

Mr Short replied in the affirmative with a nod and a smile. Mr Codlin

added a corroborative nod and a short groan, as if he still felt the

weight of the Temple on his shoulders.

To fairs, markets, races, and so forth, I suppose?' pursued the single

gentleman.

Yes, sir,' returned Short, 'pretty nigh all over the West of England.'

The Old Curiosity Shop