Hockaday got taken in over that blue-wash for his walls: it comes off
as soon as you rub against it."
"I'll trouble you not to spy upon my actions, Madam," says he.
"Man alive, _I_ don't mind your taking a glass now and then in
reason--specially on Regatta Day! And as for the 'Sailor's Return,'
'tis a respectable house. I hope so, anyhow, for we've ordered
supper there to-night."
"Supper! You've ordered supper at the 'Sailor's Return'?"
Sal nodded. "Just to celebrate the occasion. We thought,
first-along, of the 'Green Dragon': but the 'Dragon's' too grand a
place for ease, and Bess allowed 'twould look like showing off.
She voted for cosiness: so the 'Sailor's Return' it is, with roast
ducks and a boiled leg of mutton and plain gin-and-water."
"Settin' yourselves up to be men, I s'pose?" he sneered.
"Not a bit of it," answered Sal. "There'll be no speeches."
She went off to the kitchen, put on the kettle, and made him a dish
of tea. In an ordinary way she'd have paid no heed to his tantrums:
but just now she felt very kindly disposed t'wards everybody, and
really wished to chat over the race with him--treating it as a joke
now that her credit was saved, and never offering to crow over him.
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