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 She hesitated, looking at the three backs of the children, then she said, "Ahem."

Peter stayed as he was, but the girls looked round.

"You mustn't take no notice of my Bill," said the woman; is bark's worsen 'is bite. Some of the kids down Farley way is fair terrors. It was them put 'is back up calling out about who ate the puppy-pie under Marlowe bridge."

"Why did?" asked Phyllis.

"I dunno," said the woman. "Nobody don't know! But for somehow, and I don't know the why nor the wherefore of it, them words is pison to a barge-master. Don't you take no notice. 'E won't be back for two hours good. You might catch a power o' fish afore that. The light's good an' all," she added.

"Thank you," said Bobbie. "You're very kind. Where's your baby?"

"Asleep in the cabin," said the woman. E's all right. Never wakes afore twelve. Reglar as a church-clock, 'e is."

"I'm sorry," said Bobbie; "I would have liked to see him, close to."

"And a finer you never did see, Miss, though I says it,' the woman's face brightened as she spoke.