Missing Person by Mary Jane Staples Read Free Book Online Page B

Bubbles.
    ‘I dunno,’ said Penny-Farving.
    ‘What’s that you’ve got in your ’ands?’ demanded Tilly of both girls.
    ‘Apples,’ said Penny-Farving, ‘we’ve got one each.’
    ‘You bought them yourselves, did you, without waitin’ for me to?’
    ‘We couldn’t buy them, we didn’t ’ave any money,’ said Penny-Farving.
    ‘Our money’s at ’ome in our money-boxes,’ said Bubbles.
    ‘Lord ’elp us, d’you mean you nicked them?’ asked Tilly.
    ‘Well, they was nearly fallin’ off the stall, and the man wasn’t lookin’,’ said Penny-Farving.
    ‘Pinchin’ apples at your age? Well, I’m now goin’ to take you back to the stall, d’you ’ear?’ said Tilly. ‘And you’re goin’ to show me which stall.’
    The blue-eyed angels looked at each other. Their expressions said it all. What’s she fussin’ for?
    ‘Oh, all right,’ said Penny-Farving, and Tilly marched them back to the stall in question, which they pointed out to her. The middle-aged stallholder, Alf Cooley, eyed the little girls benevolently.
    ‘’Ello, back again, are yer, Penny-Farvin’ and little Bubbles? And who’s the lady I’m seein’ yer with if it ain’t Tilly Thomas that’s been a customer of mine these last months? ‘Ow’s yer good-lookin’ self, Tilly me gal?’
    ‘Oh, you know these two angels, do you?’ said Tilly. ‘Well, they’ve got something to tell you, Alf.’
    ‘No, we ain’t,’ said Penny-Farving.
    ‘Nor me, eiver,’ said Bubbles.
    ‘Yes, you ’ave,’ said Tilly. ‘Go on, own up.’
    ‘Oh, bower it,’ said Penny-Farving. ‘Oh, all right. Me and Bubbles took an apple each.’
    ‘Oh, yer did, did yer?’ said Alf Cooley. ‘Was that when me back was turned?’
    ‘Yes, you wasn’t lookin’,’ said Bubbles.
    ‘Quick as a flash, were yer?’ said Alf. Penny-Farving giggled. Bubbles looked at her feet. ‘All right, show us what you took,’ said Alf, and they showed him . ‘Two of me best New Zealand pippins, is it? Well, you got good taste for the time of the year. But don’t do it again, me angels, or I’ll fall out with yer.’
    ‘Half a mo’,’ said Tilly, ‘they’re goin’ to put those apples back or pay for them.’
    ‘But I’ve ’ad a bite of mine,’ said Bubbles.
    ‘And we ain’t got any money,’ said Penny-Farving.
    Tilly tried an expression of frowning disapproval, but it wasn’t a great success. In a manner of speaking, it hardly broke surface. Well, she was a good-hearted young woman generally, and these imps were so young. It was their father who was to blame in not teaching them what was right and what was wrong.
    ‘All right, I’ll pay,’ she said, ‘and you can owe me.’
    ‘No worries, Tilly,’ said Alf, ‘I’ll let ’em off this time. We’ve all been kids, we’ve all done a bit of swipin’ down London markets on account of our mums and dads bein’ ’ard-up.’
    ‘’Ere, d’you mind not includin’ me?’ said Tilly.
    ‘Granted with pleasure, I’m sure,’ said Alf. ‘Well, there y’ar, me little angels, one free pippin each gratis and for nothing, but don’t do it on me again. Try Ma Earnshaw’s fruit stall next time.’
    ‘Blimey,’ said Tilly, ‘you’re as bad as they are.’
    ‘Well, wasn’t I a kid meself once, like I just said? Besides, I know their dad. Reg’lar decent bloke.’
    ‘Well, if you know ’im, that’s your ’ard luck,’ said Tilly. ‘Wait till I see ’im again meself.’
    ‘Wish yer luck, Tilly,’ said Alf, ‘but what’re yer doin’ out with ’is little ’uns? ’Ow did yer come – oh, ’ello, top of the mornin’ to yer, missus,’ he said to an arriving customer, ‘what can I do for yer shoppin’ basket?’
    ‘Come on, you two,’ said Tilly, and led the girls away.
    Once back in the house, she spent the next few hours unpacking her cases, sorting out clothes and other belongings, going downstairs at regular intervals to make sure the terrors were still alive, reading the