As he stood on the topmost step, silhouetted against the blue sky, the tails of his frock-coat flapping, Bindle caught sight of him.
"'Ullo, 'ere's old 'Earty!" he cried, waving his hand.
Mr. Hearty descended gingerly to terra firma, then, seeing Mrs. Bindle, he raised his semi-clerical felt hat. In such matters, Mr. Hearty was extremely punctilious.
At that moment the bull appeared to catch sight of the figure with the flapping coat-tails.
It made a tremendous onslaught upon the hedge, and there was a sound of crackling branches; but the hedge held.
"Call out to him, Bindle. Shout! Warn him! Do you hear?" cried Mrs. Bindle excitedly.
"'E's all right," said Bindle complacently. "That there bull ain't a-goin' to get through an 'edge like that."
"Mr. Hearty, there's a bull! Run!"
Mrs. Bindle's thin voice entirely failed to carry to where Mr. Hearty was walking with dignity and unconcern, regardless of the danger which Mrs. Bindle foresaw threatened him.
The bull made another attack upon the hedge. Mr. Hearty's flapping coat-tails seemed to goad it to madness. There was a further crackling and the massive shoulders of the animal now became visible; but still it was unable to break through.