“Well, here’s another bit o’ my luk,” he sed; “this is another mullock aw’ve getten into, soa aw mun get aght on it someway; it’s noa use freeatin’ abaat what cannot be helped, an’ ther’s one consolation, it mud ha’ been war.”  Just as he wor scramlin’ aght, his hont coom to see what wor to do, but shoo didn’t fly into a pashon as yo might fancy.  “Hallo, Jack!” shoo says, “aw thowt it must be thee; tha’s dropt in for it another time, has ta?”

“Eea, aw reckon aw have, but if aw havn’t spoilt th’ swill aw dooant care.”

“Oh, aw’ll forgie thi that, lad; tha’s’made a nice pictur o’ thisen, reight enuff; aw could just like thi fottagraff takkin nah, but come thi ways in.”

“Nay, hont aw’ll nooan come in i’ this state; aw’ll call agean some other day, for awst mak nowt but muck.”

“Niver heed th’ muck; come thi ways in, for tha lukes like a hauf-draand ratten; tha’ll catch thi deeath o’ cold if tha hasn’t summat warm.  Come in an doff them clooas, an’ aw’ll see if aw connot find some o’ thi uncles ’at’ll fit thi wol thine’s fit to put on agean.  Aw niver did see sich a mess i’ all my life.  Th’ idea ov a chap fallin’ up to’ th’ middle in a swill-tub!”

“Why, its net varry nice, reight enuff, but it mud ha’ been war, hont.”

“Aw wonder ha,” shoo sed.

“Why, if aw’d gooan ovver th’ heead.”

“Well, that wodn’t ha’ made, things ony better, truly; but th’ next time ‘at tha’rt comin’ ovver that way just let me know, an’ aw’ll have that tub aght o’th’ gate.  Goa thi ways into th’ chamer an’ change them stinkin’ things, an’ then come an’ sit thi daan an’ let’s tawk to thi a bit, an’ see if aw can get ony sense aght on thi, for aw’m sure nubdy can put ony in.”

“All serene,” sed Jack, an he went an’ changed his clooas, an’ when he’d getten donned afresh he coom daan stairs an’ sat daan i’th’ arm-cheer beside th’ fire.  “Yea-a-aw! yea-a-aw!” went summat, an’ up he sprang as if th’ cheer-bottom wor redwoot.  “A’a, tha gurt gaumless fooil!” sed his hont, “couldn’t ta see a cat an’ three kittens?  Aw do believe tha’s killed ’em ivery one!  Poor little things!” Nay, nay, aw niver did see sich a thing i’ all my life! tha’s killed ’em all three, an’ it’s a wonder tha hasn’t killed th’ old cat an’ all.  Dear-a-me, aw did intend draandin ’em to-morn, an’ to think ’at they should be squeezed to deeath this way, Aw shalln’t get ovver it for monny a day.”

“Well, aw’m varry sooary, hont; but aw niver saw’ em, iw’m sure.  Whoiver expected to find a cat an’ three kittens in a arm-cheer?  But let’s be thankful, for it mud ha’ been war.”

“Nay, net it! it couldn’t ha’ been war nor it is:  tha’s killed em, an’ tha couldn’t do ony moor if tha’d to try.”  “Well, but aw mud ha’ killed th’ old cat as weel, yo know.”