No, nor that wasn't the worst: for, as his
Lordship's trap drove up, the two tom-fools stopped their boxin' to
stand 'pon their toes and blow kisses at him!
"I must say that Battershall showed great presence o' mind.
He shouted to me to tackle Truslove, while he ran up to Matthey
Hancock an' butted him in the stomach; an' together we'd heaved the
two tom-fools into the shrubbery almost afore his Lordship could
believe his eyes. I won't say what had happened to the Vicar, for I
don't rightways know. All I can get out o' Sally--she's a modest
wench--is that--that--_he wanted to be a Statoo!_ . . ."
"Quite so," I interrupted, edging towards the gate and signifying
with a gesture of the hand that I had heard enough.
Old Trewoon's voice followed me.
"I reckon, sir, we best agree, for the sake o' the dear old fella,
that such a sight as them two Churchwardens was enough to make any
gentleman take to his bed. But"--as the gate rang on its hasp and
rang again--"I've been thinkin' powerful _what might ha' happened if
his Lordship had turned up in due time to partake_."
Master Dick is a good boy; and when we met in the Christmas vacation
no allusion was made to the Mont-Bazillac.
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