nd like a gaby and let folks
make a laughing-stock of him? It was so provoking to remember how silly
he had looked, that it was only by a determined effort that Lilac could
get it out of her head, and bend her attention on Bella's ribbons and
her aunt's pots and pans. When she had once began her shopping,
however, she found it took all her thoughts, and it was not till she was
seated in the china shop, her business finished, and her parcels
disposed round her, that the scene came back to her again. Could it be
possible that Peter put any faith in such nonsensical tales?

Grannie Dunch believed them; but then she was very ignorant, over ninety
years old, and had never been to school. When Grannie Dunch was young
perhaps folks did believe such things, and she had never been taught
better; there were excuses for her. On one point Lilac was determined.
Peter's mind should be cleared up as to who made the butter. What had
Mr Benson said about it? "The credit of the farm's coming back." She
repeated the words to herself in a whisper. What a grand thing if she,
Lilac White, had helped to bring back the credit of the farm!

At this point in her reflections the white horse appeared at the door,
and Lilac and all her belongings were lifted up into the cart. Very
soon they were out of the noisy stony streets of Lenham, and on the
quiet country road again. She took a side glance at her companion. He
looked undisturbed, with his eyes fixed placidly on the horse's ears,
and had evidently nothing more on his mind than to sit quietly there
until they reached home. It made Lilac feel quite cross, and she gave
him a sharp little nudge with her elbow to make him attend to what she
had to say.

"Why ever did you let 'em go on so silly about the brownie?" she said.
"You looked for all the world as if you believed in it."

Peter flicked his horse thoughtfully.

"There's a many cur'ous things in the world," he said; "cur'ouser than
that."

"There ain't no such things as brownies, though," said Lilac, with
decision; "nor yet ghosts, nor yet witches, nor yet any of them things
as Grannie Dunch tells about."

Peter was silent.

"_Is_ there?" she repeated with another nudge of the elbow.

"I don't says as there is," he answered slowly.

"Of course not!" exclaimed Lilac triumphantly.

"And I don't say as there isn't," finished Peter in exactly the same
voice.

This unexpected conclusion quite took Lilac's breath away.