Much irrelevant but heated argument followed, and none could satisfy Jacob that the chair was in the right.
Suddenly the landlord of the Castle Inn turned to Valentine Huggins.
"Let's abide by you, Val," he cried. "You'm the oldest among us. I warrant Taverner will abide by you. What do you say?"
"I say 'beer,'" piped the ancient man. "I be so dry as a dead bone along o' listening; what you talking members must be, I can't picture."
"I second," declared Weekes; "and 'tis idle for you to pretend that can't be passed, Churchward, because we're unanimous—except Norseman, who'll have his bottle of lemonade as per usual, no doubt."
Mr. Pearn had already put on his hat.
"I'll nip round myself an' tell 'em to send it in," he declared. Then he hurried off.
"I'm in your hands, of course," began the schoolmaster. "I merely remark that I don't pay again. If you had listened to the minutes, you'd have been reminded that the chairman stood liquor and tobacco last time. We must give and take—even in committee."
"I'll pay half," said Mr. Taverner.
"And I'll pay the rest," declared Nathaniel Spry,—"provided the committee will keep quiet and let me read the minutes while it's drinking."