“To be sure I will, Dunning; but tell me, how do the men seem now?”
“Bit tired, sir. End o’ the day’s wuck.”
“No, no; I mean as to temper. Do you think they are settling down?”
“O ay; yes, sir. They’d be quiet enew if the trade would let ’em alone.”
“No threats or anything of that sort?”
“Well, you see, sir, I’ve no right to say a word,” he replied, sinking his voice. “If they thought I was a talker, mebbe they’d be falling upon me wi’ sticks; but you’ve always been a kind and civil young gentleman to me, so I will tell you as Gentles says he means to pay you when he gets a chance.”
“Then I must keep out of Mr Gentles’s way,” I said, laughing outside, for I felt very serious in.
“Ay, but that arn’t it, Mester Jacob, sir,” said old Dunning, to make me more comfortable. “You see, sir, you nivver know where to hev a man like that. He might hit at you wi’ his own fisty, but it’s more’n likely as he’ll do it wi’ some one else’s, or wi’ a clog or a knobstick. You can nivver tell. Good-night, Mester Jacob, sir. Keep a sharp look-out, sir, and so will I, for I shouldn’t like to see a nice well-spoken young gentleman like you spoiled.”
I followed Dunning down to the gate, and turned the key after him, feeling horribly alarmed.
Spoiled—not like to see a boy like me spoiled. What did spoiling mean? I shuddered at the thought, and though for a moment I thought of rushing out and getting home as quickly as I could, there was a sort of fear upon me that a party of men might be waiting at one of the corners ready to shoot me.