"Oh, he means the nozzle. They're fond of the feminine about here."
"But how on earth does he know anything about the nozzle? It came by post, you said?"
"Yes. I suppose the postman told him. You're not used to country ways."
"But how did the postman know what was in the parcel? They don't open things, I suppose?"
"Of course not. I dare say I mentioned to the postman one day what I was expecting, and they gossip about anything and everything here."
"What a place! Look here, my son, you'll have one of your inventions forestalled one of these days if you don't keep your mouth shut. Then you'd be sorry."
It was not Eves's way to keep his mouth shut, and he expatiated on the evils of talkativeness all the way to the workshop, where the friends parted. The same topic was revived when they met at the "Three Tuns" for lunch.
"Wilkins was unusually amiable to-day," Templeton happened to remark. "He seemed quite pleased that the nozzle is a success."
"Were you juggins enough to tell him that?" asked Eves with a touch of scorn.
"Well, what else could I do when he asked me point-blank? I didn't mention it first."