talking cums as nat'ral to he as buttermilk to a litterin'
sow."

"Thou should'st a heerd un, though, about the battles. I can't
mind the neames on 'em--let me see--"

"I dwun't valley the neames," interrupted Simon. "Thaay makes a
deal o' fuss auvert 'taal, but I dwun't tek no account on't.
Tain't like the owld wars and fightin' o' the French, this here
fightin' wi' blackamoors, let 'em talk as thaay wool."

"No more 'tain't. But 'twur a 'mazin' fine talk as he gi'n us.
Hev 'ee seed ought 'twixt he and young missus?"

"Nothin' out o' th' common. I got plenty to do without lookin'
arter the women, and 'tain't no bisness o' mine, nor o' thine
neether."

David was preparing a stout rejoinder to this rebuke of the old
retainer of the Winter family on his curiosity, but was summoned
by his wife to the house to attend a customer; and by the time he
could get out again, Simon had disappeared.

The next day East and Tom arrived, and took possession of the Red
Lion; and Englebourn was soon in a ferment of preparation for the
wedding. East was not the man to do things by halves; and,
seconded as he was by Miss Winter, and Hardy, and Tom, had soon
made arrangements for all sorts of merrymaking. The
school-children were to have a whole holiday, and, after
scattering flowers at church and marching in the bridal
procession, were to be entertained in a tent pitched in the home
paddock of the Rectory, and to have an afternoon of games and
prizes, and cake and tea. The bell-ringers, Harry's old comrades,
were to have five shillings apiece, and a cricket match, and a
dinner afterwards at the second public house, to which any other
of his old friends whom Harry chose to ask, were to be also
invited. The old men and women were to be fed in the village
school-room; and East and Tom were to entertain a select party of
the farmers and tradesmen, at the Red Lion; the tap of which
hostelry was to be thrown open to all comers at the Captain's
expense. It was not without considerable demur on the part of
Miss Winter, that some of these indiscriminate festivities were
allowed to pass. But after consulting with Hardy, she relented,
on condition that the issue of beer at the two public-houses
should be put under the control of David, the constable, who, on
his part, promised that law and order should be well represented
and maintained on the occasion. "Arter all, Miss, you sees, 'tis
only for once in a waay," he said; "and 'twill make 'em