hain from which the hams were
suspended should have possessed more merits and general interest as
playthings than any other articles in the house, is a question for
nursing mothers to decide. However, the humour seemed to lie in the
result being, as has been seen, that any given player with these articles
was in the long-run daubed with soot. The last that was seen of Charley
by daylight after this piece of ingenuity was when in the act of
vanishing from his father's presence round the corner of the
house--looking back over his shoulder with an expression of great sin on
his face, like Cain as the Outcast in Bible pictures.

* * * * *

The guests had all assembled, and the tranter's party had reached that
degree of development which accords with ten o'clock P.M. in rural
assemblies. At that hour the sound of a fiddle in process of tuning was
heard from the inner pantry.

"That's Dick," said the tranter. "That lad's crazy for a jig."

"Dick! Now I cannot--really, I cannot have any dancing at all till
Christmas-day is out," said old William emphatically. "When the clock
ha' done striking twelve, dance as much as ye like."

"Well, I must say there's reason in that, William," said Mrs. Penny. "If
you do have a party on Christmas-night, 'tis only fair and honourable to
the sky-folk to have it a sit-still party. Jigging parties be all very
well on the Devil's holidays; but a jigging party looks suspicious now. O
yes; stop till the clock strikes, young folk--so say I."

It happened that some warm mead accidentally got into Mr. Spinks's head
about this time.

"Dancing," he said, "is a most strengthening, livening, and courting
movement, 'specially with a little beverage added! And dancing is good.
But why disturb what is ordained, Richard and Reuben, and the company
zhinerally? Why, I ask, as far as that do go?"

"Then nothing till after twelve," said William.

Though Reuben and his wife ruled on social points, religious questions
were mostly disposed of by the old man, whose firmness on this head quite
counterbalanced a certain weakness in his handling of domestic matters.
The hopes of the younger members of the household were therefore
relegated to a distance of one hour and three-quarters--a result that
took visible shape in them by a remote and listless look about the
eyes--the singing of songs being permitted in the interim.

At five minutes to twelve the soft tuning was again heard in the back
quart