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Updated: July 29, 2025
The squire turned to stop Dick, but it was too late, for the lad had reached the wheelwright and laid his hand upon his shoulder. "Hicky," he said softly; "be a man!" "Ay, lad, I will," said the great fellow, starting up with his eyes wet with tears. "It isn't the bont plaace made me soft like that, but what's been said."
"What was he like, Hicky?" said Tom, who suffered a peculiar kind of thrill as the wheelwright spoke. "Somethin' between a big cloud, shape of a man, and a flash of lightning with a bit o' thunder." "Get out!" roared Dick. "Why, he's laughing at us, Tom." "Nay, lads, I'm not laughing. It's just what I seemed to see, and it 'most knocked me over." "It's very queer," said Dick thoughtfully.
"You're a good old chap, Hicky," said Dick, smiling up at the big fellow; "but you can't understand what I feel over this." "Hey, bud I can," cried the wheelwright quickly; "you feel just the same as I did when Farmer Tallington Tom's father here said I'd sent him in his bill after he'd sattled it; and as I did when my missus said I'd took half a guinea outer money-box to spend i' town.
"To see the man punished who shot him, Hicky," cried Dick passionately. "Ay, I'd like to see that, or hev the punishing of him," said Hickathrift, stretching out a great fist. I'm going to find him out yet, and when I do Theer, go and wesh thy faace."
It's sperrits, that's what it is sperrits of the owd fen, them as makes the ager, and sends will-o'-the-wisps to lead folkses into the bog. They don't like the drain being med, and they shutes and bons, and does all they can to stop it." "You're a great goose, Hicky," said Dick sharply. "Who ever heard of a ghost " "I didn't say ghost, my lad. I said sperrits!" "Well, they're all the same."
"Don't stop late, my lads," said the wheelwright, anxiously. "I wouldn't be coming back after dark when the will-o'-the-wisps is out." "I don't believe all that stuff, Hicky," said Dick. "Father says " "Eh! What does he say?" cried the wheelwright, excitedly.
"But I say, Hicky, what did the doctor say to your hand? Will it soon get well?" "Didn't go to the doctor, lad." "Why, what did you do then?" "Went to old Mikey Dodbrooke, the bone-setter." "What did you go to him for?" "Because it's his trade. He knows how to mend bones better than any doctor." "Father says he's an old sham, and doesn't understand anything about it," said Dick.
But your father looks sadly, Mester Tom, sir. He don't wear as I should like to see un. "Rheumatism, Hicky; that's all. He'll be better soon. I say, what's that a summer-house?" said Tom, pointing. "That, Mester Tom! Why, you know?" "Why, it's the old punt!" cried Dick. "Ay, it's the owd poont, Mester Dick. What games yow did hev in her too, eh?" "Yes, Hicky," said Dick with a sigh.
It was in a big bluff voice, which Dick recognised at once. "That you, Hicky? Fire! fire!" "Ay, my lad, I was coming to rouse up the folk. You go that end, I'll do this. Hey! Fire! Fire!" He battered cottage door after cottage door, Dick following his example, with the result that in their alarm the people came hurrying out like bees whose hive has been disturbed by a heavy blow.
Hickathrift had ground the blades until they were perfectly sharp at the edges, and had made a new pair of ashen soles for them, into which he had just finished fitting the steel. "There, Mester Dick," said the bluff fellow with a grin; "that's a pair o' pattens as you ought 'most to fly in. Going out in the morning?" "Yes, Hicky, I shall go directly after breakfast."
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