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o'clock； they were all seated there with the best muffins and
buttered buns before them； little Penny blushing and smiling； with
her 〃crop〃 in the best order； and a blue frock showing her little
white shoulders； while her opinion was being always asked and never
given。 She secretly wished to have a particular sort of chimney
ornaments； but she could not have brought herself to mention it。
Seated by the side of her yellow and rather withered lover； who；
though he had not reached his thirtieth year； had already crow's…
feet about his eyes； she was quite tremulous at the greatness of her
lot in being married to a man who had travelled so muchand before
her sister Letty！ The handsome Letitia looked rather proud and
contemptuous； thought her nature brother…in…law an odious person；
and was vexed with her father and mother for letting Penny marry
him。 Dear little Penny！ She certainly did look like a fresh white…
heart cherry going to be bitten off the stem by that lipless mouth。
Would no deliverer come to make a slip between that cherry and that
mouth without a lip？
〃Quite a family likeness between the admiral and you； Mr。 Freely；〃
observed Mrs。 Palfrey； who was looking at the family portrait for
the first time。 〃It's wonderful！ and only a grand…uncle。 Do you
feature the rest of your family； as you know of？〃
〃I can't say；〃 said Mr。 Freely； with a sigh。 〃My family have mostly
thought themselves too high to take any notice of me。〃
At this moment an extraordinary disturbance was heard in the shop；
as of a heavy animal stamping about and making angry noises； and
then of a glass vessel falling in shivers； while the voice of the
apprentice was heard calling 〃Master〃 in great alarm。
Mr。 Freely rose in anxious astonishment； and hastened into the shop；
followed by the four Palfreys； who made a group at the parlour…door；
transfixed with wonder at seeing a large man in a smock…frock； with
a pitchfork in his hand； rush up to Mr。 Freely and hug him； crying
out；〃Zavy； Zavy； b'other Zavy！〃
It was Jacob； and for some moments David lost all presence of mind。
He felt arrested for having stolen his mother's guineas。 He turned
cold； and trembled in his brother's grasp。
〃Why； how's this？〃 said Mr。 Palfrey； advancing from the door。 〃Who
is he？〃
Jacob supplied the answer by saying over and over again …
〃I'se Zacob； b'other Zacob。 Come 'o zee Zavy〃till hunger prompted
him to relax his grasp； and to seize a large raised pie； which he
lifted to his mouth。
By this time David's power of device had begun to return； but it was
a very hard task for his prudence to master his rage and hatred
towards poor Jacob。
〃I don't know who he is； he must be drunk；〃 he said； in a low tone
to Mr。 Palfrey。 〃But he's dangerous with that pitchfork。 He'll
never let it go。〃 Then checking himself on the point of betraying
too great an intimacy with Jacob's habits； he added 〃You watch him；
while I run for the constable。〃 And he hurried out of the shop。
〃Why； where do you come from； my man？〃 said Mr。 Palfrey； speaking to
Jacob in a conciliatory tone。 Jacob was eating his pie by large
mouthfuls； and looking round at the other good things in the shop；
while he embraced his pitchfork with his left arm； and laid his left
hand on some Bath buns。 He was in the rare position of a person who
recovers a long absent friend and finds him richer than ever in the
characteristics that won his heart。
〃I's Zacobb'other Zacob't home。 I love Zavyb'other Zavy；〃 he
said； as soon as Mr。 Palfrey had drawn his attention。 〃Zavy come
back from z' Indiesgot mother's zinnies。 Where's Zavy？〃 he added；
looking round and then turning to the others with a questioning air；
puzzled by David's disappearance。
〃It's very odd；〃 observed Mr。 Palfrey to his wife and daughters。
〃He seems to say Freely's his brother come back from th' Indies。〃
〃What a pleasant relation for us！〃 said Letitia； sarcastically。 〃I
think he's a good deal like Mr。 Freely。 He's got just the same sort
of nose； and his eyes are the same colour。〃
Poor Penny was ready to cry。
But now Mr。 Freely re…entered the shop without the constable。
During his walk of a few yards he had had time and calmness enough
to widen his view of consequences； and he saw that to get Jacob
taken to the workhouse or to the lock…up house as an offensive
stranger might have awkward effects if his family took the trouble
of inquiring after him。 He must resign himself to more patient
measures。
〃On second thoughts；〃 he said； beckoning to Mr。 Palfrey and
whispering to him while Jacob's back was turned； 〃he's a poor half…
witted fellow。 Perhaps his friends will come after him。 I don't
mind giving him something to eat； and letting him lie down for the
night。 He's got it into his head that he knows methey do get
these fancies； idiots do。 He'll perhaps go away again in an hour or
two； and make no more ado。 I'm a kind…hearted man MYSELFI
shouldn't like to have the poor fellow ill…used。〃
〃Why； he'll eat a sovereign's worth in no time；〃 said Mr。 Palfrey；
thinking Mr。 Freely a little too magnificent in his generosity。
〃Eh； Zavy； come back？〃 exclaimed Jacob； giving his dear brother
another hug； which crushed Mr。 Freely's features inconveniently
against the stale of the pitchfork。
〃Aye； aye；〃 said Mr。 Freely； smiling； with every capability of
murder in his mind； except the courage to commit it。 He wished the
Bath buns might by chance have arsenic in them。
〃Mother's zinnies？〃 said Jacob； pointing to a glass jar of yellow
lozenges that stood in the window。 〃Zive 'em me。〃
David dared not do otherwise than reach down the glass jar and give
Jacob a handful。 He received them in his smock…frock； which he held
out for more。
〃They'll keep him quiet a bit； at any rate；〃 thought David； and
emptied the jar。 Jacob grinned and mowed with delight。
〃You're very good to this stranger； Mr。 Freely；〃 said Letitia； and
then spitefully； as David joined the party at the parlour…door； 〃I
think you could hardly treat him better； if he was really your
brother。〃
〃I've always thought it a duty to be good to idiots；〃 said Mr。
Freely； striving after the most moral view of the subject。 〃We
might have been idiots ourselveseverybody might have been born
idiots； instead of having their right senses。〃
〃I don't know where there'd ha' been victual for us all then；〃
observed Mrs。 Palfrey； regarding the matter in a housewifely light。
〃But let us sit down again and finish our tea；〃 said Mr。 Freely。
〃Let us leave the poor creature to himself。〃
They walked into the parlour again； but Jacob； not apparently
appreciating the kindness of leaving him to himself； immediately
followed his brother； and seated himself； pitchfork grounded； at the
table。
〃Well；〃 said Miss Letitia； rising； 〃I don't know whether YOU mean to
stay； mother； but I shall go home。〃
〃O