noon
For hours he talked thus to his wise-looking companion , until he began to believe that the rat understood him , and could really answer if he chose . Sometimes when he was asked a question he could not answer , he would reply , `` I do n't know , but I 'll speak to Socrates about it '' ; and at the first opportunity he would explain the whole difficulty to his gray-whiskered friend . Frequently , by thus thinking and talking the matter over , he would arrive at some conclusion , more or less correct , and this he would report as `` What Socrates thinks . '' At noon that day Monk Tooley , as usual , ate his lunch and smoked his pipe with Job Taskar in the blacksmith 's shop ; but he was very quiet , and not inclined to be talkative as was his habit . When he left , the blacksmith 's helper slipped out after him , and saying , '' ` Ere 's summut I think belongs to you , Mr. Tooley , '' handed him three bits of wood , on each of which was deeply scored M. T. `` My lost checks ! '' exclaimed the miner . `` Where 'd yer get 'em , Boodle ? ''