“Or in the housen they stays at,” assented the Gaffer. “But let bygones by bygones. It may be the Lord dumped him down for our good. All Oi say is, that word’s got to goo. A Churchman may not see the blasphemy, but think o’ what John Wesley would ha’ said to it.”
“He’d ha’ said ’twas a wicked extravagance to waste such a fine stone.”
“The mason’ll take it back. Happen there’ll be another Roger Boldero dead and neaped some day.”
“Very likely,” sneered the veteran. “And also an Emma, Wife of the Above.”
“Hush!” The little maid nudged him, wondering he should forget his own monition.
“That has more sense than you!” cried the Gaffer in high glee. “Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings!” And drawing the astonished Jinny to his bristly beard, he kissed her lips with a hearty smack.
Despite these half-understood discords, Jinny was very sorry to leave the stony-eyed veteran and the motley waterside.
“Sometimes,” she confided to the more sympathetic swivel eye, as her grandfather was harnessing Methusalem for their return, “I wish I had never come to earth at all.”
Again Dap was startled by her simplicity—had not Daniel been telling him what a useful little body she was in the business?
“But then you’d never have had your grandfather—or me,” he said, stroking her cheek.