The house had a sickly smell.

Close to the window, a little, stiff built, bullet-headed lad stood, stript to the waist, sputtering and splashing as he washed himself in a large bowl of water, placed upon a stool.

By his side there was another lad three or four years older, and the two were having a bit of famous fun together, quite heedless of all else.

The elder kept ducking the little fellow's head into the water, upon which the one who was washing himself sobbed, and spat, and cried out in great glee, "Do it again, Jack!" The mother, seeing us laugh at the lads, said, "That big un's been powin' tother, an' th' little monkey's gone an' cut every smite o' th' lad's toppin' off.

"" Well," said the elder lad, "Aw did it so as nobody can lug him.