you prove your words.'

"'You stole my pig,' ses Herbert Smith.

"'Oh, 'ave I?' ses Bob, reaching down a 'and o' pork. 'Is that your
pig?' he ses.

"'It's just about the size o' my pore pig,' ses Herbert Smith.

"'Very usual size, I call it,' ses Bob Pretty; 'and them ducks and hins
very usual-looking hins and ducks, I call 'em, except that they don't
grow 'em so fat in these parts. It's a fine thing when a man's doing a
honest bisness to 'ave these charges brought agin 'im. Dis'eartening, I
call it. I don't mind telling you that the tiger got in at my back
winder the other night and took arf a pound o' sausage, but you don't
'ear me complaining and going about calling other people thieves.'

"'Tiger be hanged,' ses Henery Walker, who was almost certain that a loin
o' pork on the table was off 'is pig; 'you're the only tiger in these
parts.'

"Why, Henery,' ses Bob Pretty, 'wot are you a-thinkin' of? Where's your
memory? Why, it's on'y two or three days ago you see it and 'ad to get
up a tree out of its way.'

"He smiled and shook 'is 'ead at 'im, but Henery Walker on'y kept opening
and shutting 'is mouth, and at last 'e went outside without saying a
word.

"'And Sam Jones see it, too,' ses Bob Pretty; 'didn't you, Sam?'