Bob snatched it aght ov his hand an put it in his desk, but th’ lad still stood grinnin.

“Dooan’t aw get owt for bringin it?  Aw know what it is, an aw should think its worth summat.”

Bob’s face wor as red as a hep, an th’ sweeat wor like dew on his forheead,—­th’ leeast coin he had wor a shillin, but he put it into his hand an bundled him aght, wol th’ maister gave him a luk at made him uncomfortable for th’ balance o’th day.

When five o’clock set him at liberty, he tuk his parcel once moor an started for hooam; but ther wor a grim luk ov determination on his face.

“Aw’ll get rid o’ thee this time, if aw have to walk twenty mile to find a place,” he sed.  “Th’ chap aw bowt thee on, sed ther wor nowt like a bull pup for stickin, an tha’s stuck to me wi a vengence.  Aw wodn’t goa throo another day like this for all th’ bull pups i’ Bulgaria!  An if Angelina ivver perswades me to buy another aw hooap they’ll call me bull pup for th’ rest o’ mi days!”

He’d nearly getten hooam, when he coom to th’ corner ov a small croft, an as ther wor nubdy abaat he dropt it ovver th’ wall; an mutterin summat throo his teeth, an shakkin his fists, he went hooam, but net i’th sweetest o’ tempers.

Angelina lukt him up an daan, an in a surprised voice axt, “Hasn’t ta browt it back?”

“Browt it back!  Browt what back?  Does ta think awm daft?”

“Why, then what’s to be done?  Ther’s nowt to cook for thi drinkin!”

“Drinkin!  What’s that to do wi it?  Tha sewerly didn’t think o’ cookin—­”

“Aw thowt when tha fan aght th’ mistak tha’d ha sent it back.”

“Mistak!  What are ta drivin at?  What wi th’ bull pup an thee yu’ll send me wrang i’ mi heead!”

“Why, didn’t ta know at tha’d taen th’ wrang parcel?  Tha tuk th’ leg o’ lamb at th’ butcher’s lad had just browt, an left th’ poor dog on th’ table!”

“Th’ deuce aw did?  What’s ta done wi it?”

“Aw gave a man sixpence to tak it away.  But whear’s th’ leg o’ lamb?”

“Hold on a minnit!  It’s nooan far off.”

An withaat another word he started off, an as luck let, it wor just whear he dropt it.  He oppened th’ parcel to mak sewer it wor all reight, an then he set off back.

“Well, if onnybody had tell’d me at aw wor sich a fooil as net to be able to tell th’ difference between a leg o’ lamb an a bull pup aw wodn’t ha believed em;—­but th’ best on us are fooils sometimes.”

“Here it is, Angelina,—­cut off a steak or two an let’s have summat to get th’ taste o’ that bull pup aght o’ mi maath!  Awm sooary at tha’s lost thi pet, but tha munnot tak it too mich to heart.”

“Me!  Net aw marry!  Awm rare an fain its gooan for little dogs mak a deal o’ muck:—­An somtime,—­ther’s noa knowin, ov coarse—­but it may be,—­mind, nobbut say it may,—­we may have summat else to nurse at’ll suit us better nor a bull pup.”

Troubles and Trials.