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Having reached the door of "The Bull," they paused and greeted us, and I thought Old Amos's habitual grin seemed a trifle more pronounced than usual. "So poor Jarge 'as been an' gone an' done for 'isself at last, eh? Oh, my soul! think o' that, now!" sighed Old Amos. "Allus knowed as 'e would!" added Job; "many's the time I've said as 'e would, an' you know it all on you."
"Ye see, Gaffer," pursued Amos, "if you didn't bring Jarge back wi' you w'ich you said you would the question we axes is wheer be Jarge?" "Ah! wheer?" nodded Job gloomily. Here the Ancient was evidently at a loss, to cover which, he took a vast pinch of snuff. "'Ow be we to know as 'e bean't pinin' away in a dungeon cell wi' irons on 'is legs, an' strapped in a straitjacket an "
"And you say you have heard it too, Simon?" said I. "Ay," nodded the Innkeeper; "I went down into th' 'Oller one evenin' 'bout six months ago, wi' Black Jarge, for we 'ad a mind to knock th' owd place to pieces, and get rid o' the ghost that way. Well, Jarge ups wi' 'is 'ammer, and down comes the rotten old door wi' a crash.
Thus it was that old Jasper's "bye Jarge" went out to make a trial of life a second time, and as I watched him striding through the moonlight, his head erect, very different to the shambling creature he had been, it seemed to me that the felon was already ousted by the man. "I 'specks he forgot all 'bout me!" said the Imp disconsolately.
"Do you think you can?" "I know I can, sir. Ye see, he died in my arms, called me 'is bye Jarge, said 'e were proud of me, 'e did! A man can begin again an' live straight an' square wi' a memory the like o' that to 'elp 'im." "Then why not begin to-night?" He passed a tremulous hand through his silver hair, and stared at me with incredulous eyes. "Begin-to-night!" he half whispered.
"An' now, Peter," said the old man, extracting a pinch of snuff, "now for the noos 'bout Black Jarge, it be." "What of him, Ancient?" The old man shook his head. "It took eight on 'em to du it, Peter, an' now four on 'em's a-layin' in their beds, an' four on 'em's 'obblin' on crutches an' all over a couple o' rabbits though theer be some fules as says they was pa'tridges!" "Why what do you mean?"
"Talkin' 'bout Prue," said the Ancient again, glancing at each of us in turn, "theer was some folks as used to think she were sweet on Jarge theer, but I, bein' 'er lawful gran'feyther knowed different didn't I, Jarge?" "Ay," nodded the smith.
I remember being much amused at an expression he used. He had met with a large leopard; the animal behaved in a threatening manner. On being questioned as to his feelings on the occasion, Jarge replied: "O, zur, I beed awful frowt." Brown's preparations for departure were slow; my patience was severely tried. But at length everything was ready.
"If we were running, we could rig up a spinnaker," the fisherman answered; "but the wind has come round three points. We can do no more." "I think we are catching her," John Girdlestone cried, keeping his eyes fixed upon the barque, which was about a mile and a half ahead. "Yes, we are now, but she hain't got her way on yet. She'll draw ahead presently; won't she, Jarge?"
He spat on his hands and prepared to enjoy himself. Bang! bang! bang-a-bang! bang! went the hammer. Young Jarge sat down on the gunwale of the boat and contemplated his parent's exertions. "It du put Oi in mind of a drum," he said appreciatively. "Now we can talk!" Margaret settled her back comfortably against a ridge of turf and closed her eyes for a moment. "Isn't it heavenly up here?
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