Then he winked at Elspeth and said, with his hand over his mouth, "I hinna twopence!" and Elspeth, about to cry in fright, "Have you spended it ?" saw the joke and crowed instead, "Nor yet has I threepence!" They smirked together, until Tommy saw a change come over Elspeth's face, which made him run her outside the door.
"You was a-going to pray!" he said, severely.
"'Cos it was a lie, Tommy.

I does have threepence." "Well, you ain't a-going to get praying about it.

She would hear yer." "I would do it low, Tommy." "She would see yer." "Oh, Tommy, let me.

God is angry with me." Tommy looked down the stair, and no one was in sight.

"I'll let yer pray here," he whispered, "and you can say I have twopence.