After supper, Mr Trivett solemnly produced a well-thumbed "Book of Jokes," from which he read pages of venerable stories. Although Mrs Trivett had heard them a hundred times before, she laughed consumedly at each, as if they were all new to her. Her appreciation delighted her husband. When Mavis rose to take her leave, Trivett, despite her protest, insisted upon accompanying her part of the way to Melkbridge. She bade a warm goodbye to kindly Mrs Trivett, who pressed her to come again and as often as she could spare the time.
"It do Trivett so much good to see a new face. It help him with his music," she explained.
"We might walk back by the canal," suggested Trivett. "It look zo zolemn by moonlight."
Upon Mavis' assenting, they joined the canal where the tow-path is at one with the road by the railway bridge.
"How long have you been in Pennington?" asked Mavis presently.
"A matter o' ten years. We come from North Petherton, near Tarnton."
"Then you didn't know my father?"
"No, miss, though I've heard tark of him in Melkbridge."
"Do you know anything of Mr Perigal?" she asked presently.
"Which one: the old or the young un?"