Old Jackson hesitated. "Well, sir," he said, "begging your pardon, we're not wishful to take on work again under Coombe. Sir William, he'd always treat us right, same as you would, if he wasn't too occupied to look after things himself, as I've told these others who've been working along of us. Pegg'll bear me out there."
Pegg bore him out, with a mumble of acquiescence, and Colonel Eldridge waited for him to go on.
"Coombe don't come from these parts," said old Jackson, and came to a stop.
"That's nothing against him, if he acts as he should. What's the complaint against him?"
But Jackson had come to the end of his powers of expression. He could only repeat: "He don't come from these parts."
Dell, in the khaki jacket, took up the tale. "He's desirous of making mischief, sir. We were told, after you came down the other morning, that there'd be trouble about the work we were doing, and if we were turned off of a good job we'd better look to you for another one."
Colonel Eldridge had not expected anything of this sort. But he was sitting in the seat of justice now, and the bearing of such a statement on himself must wait for consideration until later.
"Who was that said to? Tell me the exact words that were said."
Old Jackson found his tongue again. "That's how it was, sir," he said. "There was me and Pegg heard it, and Dell, and another who ain't here. I up and said myself that he'd no call to talk like that of you, and whatever Mr. William done with his land you'd stand by."