Page:A Child of the Jago - Arthur Morrison.djvu/262

 Dicky rolled the mat under his arm and turned to the door.

"'Ere," said Mr. Weech, seeing him going, "I'll make it thrippence, seein' you 're bin treated so bad. Thrippence—and a slice o' cake," he added, perceiving that Dicky did not hesitate.

"I don't want no cake," Dicky answered doggedly. "I want fourpence, an' I won't take no less."

The good Weech was unwilling that Dicky should find another market after all, so he submitted to the extortion. "Ah, well," he said, with a sigh, pulling out the extra coppers, "jist for this once, then. You'll 'ave to make it up next time. Mindjer, it's only 'cos I'm sorry for ye bein' treated ungrateful. Don't you go an' treat me ungrateful, now."

Dicky pocketed his pence and made for home, while Mr. Weech, chuckling gently at his morning prophecy of a door-mat for fourpence, carried the plunder to