"The question is, how are we to get home ?" "Oh, it's only a shower," said Josephs, looking up cheerfully at the unbroken curtain of cloud.

"It will clear up presently." "It ain't for a common man to set up his opinion again' a gentleman wot have profesh'nal knowledge of the heavens, as one may say," said the man, "but I would 'umbly offer to bet my umbrellar to his wideawake that it don't cease raining this side of seven o'clock." "That man lives here," whispered Miss Wilson, "and I suppose he wants to get rid of us." "H'm!" said Fairholme.

Then, turning to the strange laborer with the air of a person not to be trifled with, he raised his voice, and said: "You live here, do you, my man ?" "I do, sir, by your good leave, if I may make so bold." "What's your name ?" "Jeff Smilash, sir, at your service." "Where do you come from ?" "Brixtonbury, sir." "Brixtonbury! Where's that ?" "Well, sir, I don't rightly know.

If a gentleman like you, knowing jography and such, can't tell, how can I ?" "You ought to know where you were born, man.

Haven't you got common sense ?" "Where could such a one as me get common sense, sir?
Besides, I was only a foundling.