[39]Number one (after laughing rather longer than I thought kind): “Look here—don't chuck it away—let's give it to the old man. Here—shove the piece in again and rub it over—here he is!” (Very demurely): “O sir, we've got such a nice-looking——” (I could not catch what it was) “here; we thought you might perhaps like it, sir. Would you, sir?… Oh no, thank you, sir, we've had plenty, sir, but this was the biggest we found.”

A third voice said something; it was a deeper one and less easy to hear.

Number two: “Bitten, sir? Oh no, I don't think so. Do you ——?” (a name which I did not make out).

Number one: “Why, how could it be?”

Number three again—angry, I thought.

Number two (rather anxiously): “But, sir, really, sir, I don't much like them.… Must I really, sir?… O sir, it's got a maggot in it, and I believe they're poison.” (Smack, smack, smack, smack.)

[40] Two voices, very lamentable: “O sir, sir, please sir!”

A considerable pause, and sniffing. Then Number two, in a broken voice: “You silly fool, why did you go laughing like that right under his snout? You might have known he'd cog it.” (“Cog.” I had not heard the word since 1876.) “There'll be an awful row to-morrow. Look here, I shall go to bed.”

The voices died away; I thought Number one seemed to be apologizing.

That was all I heard that night. After eleven o'clock things seemed to get very still, and I began to feel just a little apprehensive lest something of a less inn