“Yes, you are!” Ben insisted. “Everyone knows that!”
“Who is everyone?” demanded John.
“Well—everyone! Mr. Sopworthy, and Mrs. Skeffling, and Farmer Huggate!”
“Did you tell them so?”
“No! I says as you was me cousin, but Farmer Huggate says as Beau’s a proper high-bred ’un, which me cousin wouldn’t have come by honest.”
“The devil!” ejaculated John.
“It’s all rug!” Ben said consolingly. “Mr. Sopworthy told Farmer Huggate as mums the word, ’cos I heard him.”
“Oh, he did, did he?” said John, somewhat taken aback.
“Ay, ’cos of Miss Nell.”
“Because of—What did he mean by that?”