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"A very interesting story!" said I "And so you are a groom now?"

"Ah!--an' you are a blacks as ever I heard--I'm a stiff

'un, that's all!"

"What do you mean?"

"I means my droppin' in on you, like this 'ere, just as if you

wasn't the one land as I was 'opeful to drop in on"

"And you find me very busy!" said I

"Lord lovehis hair so very hard

that it wrinkled his brow "I coe this 'ere

very afternoon, an', 'avin' drunk a pint over at 'The Bull'

yonder, an' axed questions as none o' they chawbacons could give

a answer to, I 'ears the chink o' your 'ammer, an' coormed if it ain't

a'most onnat'ral!"

"And why?"

"'Cos you was the very i-dentical chap as I coe to find"

"Were you sent to find me?"

"Easy a bit--you're a blacksmith, a'n't you?"

"I told you so before"

"Wot's more, you looks a blacksmith in that there leather apron,

an' wi' your face all smutty To be sure, you're powerful like

'im--Number One as was--my master as now is--"

"Did he send you to find entleman, meetin' you off'and

like, but I knows different"

"As how?"