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Updated: May 8, 2025
It was perhaps an insensate trick; but there was so much of the frank manly British boy in Dick Winthorpe that he forgot everything in the fact that big Hickathrift, the man he had known from a child the great bluff fellow who had carried him in his arms and hundreds of times made him welcome in that wonderland, his workshop, where he was always ready to leave off lucrative work to fashion him eel-spear or leaping-pole, or to satisfy any other whim that was on the surface that this old friend was being menaced by a great savage of a stranger nearly as big as himself, and backed by a roaring excited crowd who seemed ready for any outrage.
"Tak' you over to the Warren, my lad?" said Hickathrift, as they reached the wheelwright's shed, where the big fellow was just taking down a hoe to go gardening. "Why, of course I will. Straange niced evening, Mr Marston! Come along. I'll put on my coat though, for the mist'll be thick to-night."
"Why, I was a-coming swimming after you, lads," shouted Hickathrift. "You scarred me. Squire's been down twiced to see if you'd got back, and the missus is in a fine way." "Don't talk, Hicky," shouted back Dick. "Is Jacob there?" "Ay, lad. Why?" "You'll want help. Look here, send for the doctor." "Doctor, lad?" "Yes; I know. Let Jacob go and tell my father, and he'll send down the old cob.
Then Dick went on beside the wheelwright, while the squire walked swiftly ahead, evidently thinking deeply. There was a meaning in that grip of the hand which Hickathrift did not understand; but he kept on talking cheerily to the lad till they were close up to the Toft, when, just as the squire turned in and stopped for Dick to join him, the wheelwright shook hands with the lad.
"Why didst na let him hev it again?" "What's the use o' shuting at a sperrit?" grumbled John Warren. "'Sides, I couldn't see him." "Tchah! it warn't a sperrit," said Hickathrift contemptuously. "Well, I don't know so much about that," grumbled John Warren. "If it weern't a sperrit what was to mak my little dog, Snig, creep down in the bottom of the boat and howl?
When the king heard of it all, he sent for him to be knighted, and when he was Sir Thomas Hickathrift nothing would serve him but that he must be married to a great lady of the country. So married he was, and a fine wedding they had of it. There was a great feast given, to which all the poor widows for miles round were invited, because of Tom's mother, and rich and poor feasted together.
Dick tried to speak, but he could not frame a word. "No; we heard it from somewhere down here," panted Tom. "I heered it too," cried Jacob, "and wackened the mester." "Ay, that's a true word," cried Hickathrift. "What does it mean?" "Hicky," panted Dick in piteous tones, "I don't know I'm afraid I my father's out here somewhere." "Hey!
Dave chuckled, swung his basket behind him as if hung by a strip of cow-hide over his shoulder, and walked quietly on, in and out among the tufts of heather and moss, for some five-and-twenty yards. "He's laughing at us," said Dick. "No, he isn't. I've heard Hickathrift say he can catch hares," replied Tom. "Look!"
"Now, then," cried the squire, coming quickly to the door, "Hickathrift and I are going in the big punt to see if we can help the Tallingtons; the stream isn't so strong now. Are you men going to try to help us?" "Get Farmer Tallington out?" said Dave. "Ay, we are coming." "Let me come too, father," cried Dick. "No, my lad, I'm afraid I " "Don't say that, father; let me go."
Hickathrift used to ask every time he saw Dick; but the answer was always the same "No." "Ah, well, you will some day, my lad. It arn't good for boys to make quarrels last."
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