"Oh, look, Miss Falkner, there's our rector, Mr. Errington. He has a lot of people round him. P'raps he's preaching!"
Mr. Errington caught sight of them and smiled at the children, who were great favourites of his. Then he came forward.
"My horse has gone very lame," he explained.
"I am thinking of leaving him here at the blacksmith's and walking home."
"Can we give you a lift?" asked Miss Falkner.
"That will be very good of you. I shall be grateful for my wife will be expecting me and will be anxious."
"Jill thought you were preaching," said Jack. "Wasn't she silly? As if you'd preach on a weekday!"
"I wish I had been," said Mr. Errington with a smile.
Then he turned to Miss Falkner.