it he made a sudden dive and disappeared.

Bindle regarded his wife with approval as she returned from banging the
door after him.

"I didn't know," he remarked, "that they taught yer that sort of thing
at chapel. I likes a religion that lets yer do a bit in the
knock-about business. Can't understand you and 'Earty belongin' to the
same flock of sheep. Rummy thing, religion," he soliloquised, as he
applied a match to his pipe; "seems to 'ave its Bank 'Olidays, same as
work."

CHAPTER VII

BINDLE COMMITS AN INDISCRETION

"Anyone would think you was goin' to a weddin'." Mrs. Bindle eyed
Bindle aggressively.

"Not again; I got one little canary bird; two might make me un'appy."

Bindle had remembered his promise to his niece, Millie, in every
particular, and had added as his own contribution a twopenny cigar
resplendent in a particularly wide red-and-gold band, which he had been
careful not to remove.

"Anythink might 'appen to me in this get-up," he remarked pleasantly,
"so don't expect me till I'm 'ome----"

"You never take me out," broke in Mrs. Bindle stormily, "but you can
take that chit of a girl out first time she asks."

"You don't like the pictures, Mrs. B., they ain't 'oly enough, an' some
of the young women in 'em are a bit generous like with showin' their
ankles--but there, there!"

"You used to take me out before we was married," replied Mrs. Bindle,
ignoring Bindle's remark.

Bindle looked at her curiously.

"Them was the days when yer wasn't above goin' to a music-'all. There
ain't nowhere to take yer 'cept the chapel, an' I don't enjoy it as you
an' 'Earty do."

"Where do you expect to go to?" demanded Mrs. Bindle angrily. She
always became angry when mention was made of the pleasures she once
enjoyed. "Where do you expect to go to?"

"Well," remarked Bindle judicially, "accordin' to you an' 'Earty it's a
place where yer don't 'ave to pay no water rates."

Mrs. Bindle sniffed derisively.

"Look 'ere, my one an' only," continued Bindle, "I got to 'ave a pretty
bad time in the next world, accordin' to wot you an' 'Earty believes,
so I'm goin' to the pictures an' I'll 'ave a drink or two in this. If
I was as sure of 'eaven as you an' 'Earty is, maybe I'd be more
careful."

Mrs. Bindle banged the iron she was using down upon the rest, but made
no comment.

"Well, see you later, if I'm lucky," said Bindle, and he was gone.

He found Millie in a fever of expectation. S