“Foxy was within two yards of ’im when ’e suddenly caught sight of a blue bonnet waiting behind the ’edge, and ’e turned round and went back to the ’ouse as fast as ’e could go and locked ’imself in. And ’e ’ad to sit there, half-busting, all the morning, and watch that boy chase ’is best cows up and down the meadow without daring to go out and stop ’im.
“He sent George down to tell the boy’s father that night, and the father sent back word that if Foxy ’ad got anything to say agin ’is boy why didn’t ’e come down like a man and say it hisself?
“Arter about three weeks o’ this sort o’ thing Foxy Green began to see that ’e would ’ave to get married whether he liked it or not, and ’e told George so. George’s idea was for ’im to get the oldest woman in Claybury to ask ’im in marriage, because then he’d soon be single agin. It was a good idea, on’y Foxy didn’t seem to fancy it.
“‘Who do you think is the prettiest gal in Claybury, George?’ he ses.
“‘Flora Pottle,’ ses George, at once.
“‘That’s exactly my idea,’ ses Foxy; ‘if I’ve got to marry, I’ll marry ’er. However, I’ll sleep on it a night and see ’ow I feel in the morning.’
I’ll marry Flora Pottle,’ he ses, when ’e got up. ‘You can go round this arternoon, George, and break the good news to ’er.’
“George tidied hisself up arter dinner and went. Flora Pottle was a very fine-looking gal, and she was very much surprised when George walked in, but she was more surprised when ’e told ’er that if she was to go over and ask Foxy to be ’er ’usband he wouldn’t say ‘No.’
“Mrs. Pottle jumped out of ’er skin for joy a’most. She’d ’ad a ’ard time of it with Flora and five young children since ’er ’usband died, and she could ’ardly believe ’er ears when Flora said she wouldn’t.
“‘’E’s old enough to be my father,’ she ses.