Soa Sammywell set off i’ that direction, keepin his een oppen for a fish shop.  After he’d gooan ommost a mile he sed,

“Awm a fooil for commin all this way, for if awd nobbut gien it a thowt aw’st ha known ther wor noa shop o’ that sooart up here.  Mi best plan wod ha been to goa to th’ market an enquire thear.  They’d be sewer to know,” soa he walked back agean, but he made a few enquiries as he went along, but nubdy seemed to know.

Just as he’d getten to Westgate he saw Tom Taggart an he felt sewer he’d know, for he seemed to spend his time trailin abaat th’ streets.

“Hallo, Tom!” he sed, “tha’rt just th’ chap aw wanted to see!  Can ta tell me whear Jim Nation keeps his fish shop?”

“Jim Nation?” sed Tom, rubbin his chin,—­“Let me see.  Are ta sewer it’s a fish shop?”

“Aw should think it is for he sells mussels.”

“O,—­hi, tha’rt reight.  It is a fish shop.  What did ta say wor th’ chap’s name?”

“Jim Nation.”

“O,—­Jim is it?  Tha’rt sewer it isn’t ’Tom’?”

“Noa, it’s Jim.”

“It isn’t Sam Shackleton tha meeans, is it?  He sells fish sometimes.”

“Aw tell thi his name’s Jim Nation.”

“O,—­well,—­then it willn’t be Sam Shackleton.  Awm like as if aw know th’ chap tha meeans but aw connot spot him this minnit.  Let’s goa into th’ ‘Star’ an mak some enquirements, ther’s sewer to be somdy ’ll know him.”

Soa into th’ ‘Star’ they went, an Tom called for a pint for hissen an axt Grimes what he wor gooing to have.  “We connot come in an goa aght drymaath, tha knows,” sed Tom, soa Grimes ordered twopenoth an paid for booath.  Then they axt ivverybody if they knew whear Jim Nation’s fish shop wor, but altho two or three on em believed they’d seen it, nubdy could tell whear.

“We’d better have another drink an sit daan a bit,” sed Tom, “ther’ll be sewer for somdy to come in at’ll know.”

But Sammywell worn’t havin onny moor o’ that sooart, so he left em.  When he wor aght ith’ street ageean, he scrat his heead an sed summat he shouldn’t.

“What a lumpheead aw am!  Why didn’t aw goa to ax Mistress Whitin at furst, an save misen all this bother?” an he started at once for her haase.

He faand her sittin sewin,—­for ther’s little or noa trade dooin in a milk shop after drinkin time.

“Wod yo be soa gooid, Mistress Whitin, as to tell me whear Jim Nation has his fish shop?”

“Fish shop.—­Jim Nation.—­Nay, Mr. Grimes, awm sooary to say aw connot.  It’s nowhear abaat here, that awm sewer on.  Has he been ith’ trade long?”

“Well, this is the degger!  Aw’ve happen getten th’ wrang name; but awm sewer that’s what Mally tell’d me.  But yo happen willn’t mind tellin me whear yo’re husband buys his mussels?”

“Mussels!  My husband nivver buys onny mussels.  If he does he taks em somewhear else to cook, for we havn’t had sich a thing i’ awr haase aw couldn’t tell th’ time when.  Awm feeard on ’em.  Yo must be mistakken.”