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‘All right；' replied Slyme。
This evening Slyme did not take the direct road home。 He turned into the main street； and； pausing before the window of a toy shop； examined the articles displayed therein attentively。 After some minutes he appeared to have come to a decision； and entering the shop he purchased a baby's rattle for fourpence halfpenny。 It was a pretty toy made of white bone and coloured wool； with a number of little bells hanging upon it； and a ring of white bone at the end of the handle。
When he came out of the shop Slyme set out for home； this time walking rapidly。 When he entered the house Ruth was sitting by the fire with the baby on her lap。 She looked up with an expression of disappointment as she perceived that he was alone。
‘Where's Will got to again？' she asked。
‘He's gone to 'ave a drink with some of the chaps。 He said he wouldn't be long；' replied Slyme as he put his food basket on the dresser and went upstairs to his room to wash and to change his clothes。
When he came down again； Easton had not yet arrived。
‘Everything's ready； except just to make the tea；' said Ruth； who was evidently annoyed at the continued absence of Easton； ‘so you may as well have yours now。'
‘I'm in no hurry。 I'll wait a little and see if he comes。 He's sure to be here soon。'
‘If you're sure you don't mind； I shall be glad if you will wait；' said Ruth； ‘because it will save me making two lots of tea。'
They waited for about half an hour； talking at intervals in a constrained； awkward way about trivial subjects。 Then as Easton did not come； Ruth decided to serve Slyme without waiting any longer。 With this intention she laid the baby in its cot； but the child resented this arrangement and began to cry； so she had to hold him under her left arm while she made the tea。 Seeing her in this predicament； Slyme exclaimed； holding out his hands：
‘Here； let me hold him while you do that。'
‘Will you？' said Ruth； who； in spite of her instinctive dislike of the man； could not help feeling gratified with this attention。 ‘Well； mind you don't let him fall。'
But the instant Slyme took hold of the child it began to cry even louder than it did when it was put into the cradle。
‘He's always like that with strangers；' apologized Ruth as she took him back again。
‘Wait a minute；' said Slyme； ‘I've got something upstairs in my pocket that will keep him quiet。 I'd forgotten all about it。'
He went up to his room and presently returned with the rattle。 When the baby saw the bright colours and heard the tinkling of the bells he crowed with delight； and reached out his hands eagerly towards it and allowed Slyme to take him without a murmur of protest。 Before Ruth had finished making and serving the tea the man and child were on the very best of terms with each other； so much so indeed that when Ruth had finished and went to take him again； the baby seemed reluctant to part from Slyme； who had been dancing him in the air and tickling him in the most delightful way。
Ruth； too； began to have a better opinion of Slyme； and felt inclined to reproach herself for having taken such an unreasonable dislike of him at first。 He was evidently a very good sort of fellow after all。
The baby had by this time discovered the use of the bone ring at the end of the handle of the toy and was biting it energetically。
‘It's a very beautiful rattle；' said Ruth。 'Thank you very much for it。 It's just the very thing he wanted。'
‘I heard you say the other day that he wanted something of the kind to bite on to help his teeth through；' answered Slyme； ‘and when I happened to notice that in the shop I remembered what you said and thought I'd bring it home。'
The baby took the ring out of its mouth and shaking the rattle frantically in the air laughed and crowed merrily； looking at Slyme。
‘Dad！ Dad！ Dad！' he cried； holding out his arms。
Slyme and Ruth burst out laughing。
‘That's not your Dad； you silly boy；' she said； kissing the child as she spoke。 ‘Your dad ought to be ashamed of himself for staying out like this。 We'll give him dad； dad； dad； when he does come home； won't we？'
But the baby only shook the rattle and rang the bells and laughed and crowed and laughed again； louder than ever。
Chapter 19
The Filling of the Tank
Viewed from outside； the ‘Cricketers Arms' was a pretentious…looking building with plate…glass windows and a profusion of gilding。 The pilasters were painted in imitation of different marbles and the doors grained to represent costly woods。 There were panels containing painted advertisements of wines and spirits and beer； written in gold； and ornamented with gaudy colours。 On the lintel over the principal entrance was inscribed in small white letters：
‘A。 Harpy。 Licensed to sell wines； spirits and malt liquor by retail to be consumed either on or off the premises。'
The bar was arranged in the usual way； being divided into several compartments。 First there was the ‘Saloon Bar'： on the glass of the door leading into this was fixed a printed bill： ‘No four ale served in this bar。' Next to the saloon bar was the jug and bottle department； much appreciated by ladies who wished to indulge in a drop of gin on the quiet。 There were also two small ‘private' bars； only capable of holding two or three persons； where nothing less than fourpennyworth of spirits or glasses of ale at threepence were served。 Finally； the public bar； the largest compartment of all。 At each end； separating it from the other departments； was a wooden partition； painted and varnished。
Wooden forms fixed across the partitions and against the walls under the windows provided seating accommodation for the customers。 A large automatic musical instrument … a ‘penny in the slot' polyphone … resembling a grandfather's clock in shape … stood against one of the partitions and close up to the counter； so that those behind the bar could reach to wind it up。 Hanging on the partition near the polyphone was a board about fifteen inches square； over the surface of which were distributed a number of small hooks； numbered。 At the bottom of the board was a net made of fine twine； extended by means of a semi…circular piece of wire。 In this net several india…rubber rings about three inches in diameter were lying。 There was no table in the place but jutting out from the other partition was a hinged flap about three feet long by twenty inches wide； which could be folded down when not in use。 This was the shove…ha'penny board。 The coins … old French pennies … used in playing this game were kept behind the bar and might be borrowed on application。 On the partition； just above the shove…ha'penny board was a neatly printed notice； framed and glazed：
NOTICE
Gentlemen using this house are requested to refrain from using obscene language。
Alongside this notice were a number of gaudily…coloured bills advertising the local theatre and the music…hall； and another of a travelling circus and menagerie； then visiting the town and encamped on a piece of waste ground about half…way on the road to Windley。 The fittings behind the bar； and the cou