"'Tain't for the likes o' me, sir, to talk about my betters," said Mrs. Jex, with a doubtful shake of the head.
"Oh, the parson hears everything, you know, and he never repeats what he hears. What do they say about the boys? Are they twins? They're as like as can be, and just of an age, as far as I could see."
"Well, sir," said Mrs. Jex, with another shake, "there's more to that than I can say, an' I'm not that sure but what it's more'n anybody can say."
"Why, what do you mean? That sounds odd."
"Ay, 'tis odd. Carne's seen some queer things, and this is one of 'em, so they do say."
"I'd like to hear. I rather took to those boys. They seem to be growing up perfect little savages, learning nothing and----"
"Like enough, sir."
"And I thought of calling on their grandfather and seeing if he'd let me take them in hand."
"Yo'd have yore hands full, from all accounts."
"That's how I like them. They've been a bit overfull for a good many years, but this offers the prospect of a change anyway."