"A pretty thing it would he, wouldn't it, to go and stop at the very first public-house outside the town, so that Sowerberry, if he come up after us, might poke in his old nose, and have us taken back in a cart with handcuffs on," said Mr. Claypole in a jeering tone. "No, I shall go and lose myself among the narrowest streets I can find, and not stop till we come to the very out-of-the-wayest house I can set eyes on. 'Cod, yer may thank yer stars I've got a head; for if we hadn't gone at first the wrong road on purpose, and come back across country, yer'd have been locked up hard and fast a week ago, my lady, and serve yer right for being a fool."
"I know I ain't as cunning as you are," replied Charlotte; "but don't put all the blame on me, and say I should have been locked up. You would have been if I had been, any way."
"Yer took the money from the till, yer know yer did," said Mr. Claypole.
"I took it for you, Noah, dear," rejoined Charlotte.
