callin' for a pint o' beer sir, and they brings him water
sir. Yes sir. And so sir, I sees him dodgin' about one day sir, yes sir,
and at last he gits a hopportunity sir and claps a pitch-plaster on the
mouth o' th' pump sir, and says he's done for his wust henemy sir. Yes
sir. And then they finds him a-sittin' on the top o' the corn-chest sir,
yes sir, a crammin' a old pistol with wisps o' hay and horse-beans sir,
and swearin' he's a goin' to blow hisself to hattoms, yes sir, but he
doesn't, no sir. For I sees him arterwards a lyin' on the straw a
manifacktrin' Bengal cheroots out o' corn-chaff sir and swearin' he'd
make 'em smoke sir, but they hulloxed him off round by the corner of
Drummins's-s-s-s-s-s sir, just afore I come here sir, yes sir. And so
you never see'd us together sir, no sir." This was the remarkable
dialect in which Dickens wrote from Broadstairs on the 13th of July.
"About Saturday sir?--Why sir, I'm a-going to _Folkestone_ a Saturday
sir!--not on accounts of the manifacktring of Bengal cheroots as there
is there but for the survayin' o' the coast sir. 'Cos you see sir, bein'
here sir, and not a finishin' my work sir till to-morrow sir, I couldn't
go afore! And if I wos to come home, and not go, and come back agin sir,
wy it would be nat'rally a hulloxing of myself sir. Yes sir. Wy sir, I
b'lieve that the gent as is a goin' to 'stablish hisself sir, in the
autumn, along with me round the corner sir (by Drummins's-s-s-s-s-s
bank) is a comin' down to Folkestone Saturday arternoon--Leech by name
sir--yes sir--another Jack sir--and if you wos to come down along with
him sir by the train as gits to Folkestone twenty minutes arter five,
you'd find me a smoking a Bengal cheroot (made of clover-chaff and
horse-beans sir) on the platform. You couldn't spend your arternoon
better sir. Dover, Sandgate, Herne Bay--they're all to be wisited sir,
most probable, till such times as a 'ouse is found sir. Yes sir. Then
decide to come sir, and say you will, and do it. I shall be here till
arter post time Saturday mornin' sir. Come on then!

"SLOPPY
"His x mark."

[155] It stood originally thus: "'Do you recollect the date,' said Mr.
Dick, looking earnestly at me, and taking up his pen to note it down,
'when that bull got into the china warehouse and did so much mischief?'
I was very much surprised by the