"Crumbs! It's got away!"
"It's nearly quicksands here."
"If I tried I could nearly drown here!"
At last, through the hedge, they saw him emerge in the field across the road. He swaggered across to them aglow with his own heroism. As he entered the gate he was rewarded by the old light of adoration in Joan's blue eyes, but on full sight of him it quickly turned to consternation. His appearance was beyond description. There was a malicious smile on Cuthbert's face.
"Do thumthing elth," he urged him. "Go on, do thumthing elth."
"Oh, William," said Joan anxiously, "you'd better not."
But the gods had sent madness to William. He was drunk with the sense of his own prowess. He was regardless of consequences.
He pointed to a little window high up in the coal-house.
"I can climb up that an' slide down the coal inside. That's what I can do. There's nothin' I can't do. I——"