which had not been mended
after their winter's wear, toward the dwelling of the wizard. About
noon they passed the gate which opened on to the large common, and old
Dobbin toiled slowly up the hill, while Benjy pointed out a little
deep dingle on the left, out of which welled a tiny stream. As they
crept up the hill the tops of a few birch-trees came in sight, and
blue smoke curling up through their delicate light boughs; and then
the little white thatched home and inclosed ground of Farmer Ives,
lying cradled in the dingle,[6] with the gay gorse common rising
behind and on both sides; while in front, after traversing a gentle
slope, the eye might travel for miles and miles over the rich Vale.
They now left the main road and struck into a green track over the
common, marked lightly with wheel and horse-shoe, which led down into
the dingle and stopped at the rough gate of Farmer Ives. Here they
found the farmer, an iron-gray old man, with a bushy eyebrow and
strong aquiline nose busied in one of his vocations. He was a horse
and cow doctor, and was tending a sick beast which had been sent up to
be cured. Benjy hailed him as an old friend, and he returned the
greeting cordially enough, looking, however, hard for a moment both at
Benjy and Tom, to see whether there was more in their visit than
appeared at first sight. It was a work of some difficulty and danger
for Benjy to reach the ground, which, however, he managed to do
without mishap; and then he devoted himself to unharnessing Dobbin,
and turning him out for a graze ("a run" one could not say of that
virtuous steed) on the common. This done, he extricated the cold
provisions from the cart, and they entered the farmer's wicket;[7] and
he, shutting up the knife with which he was at work, accompanied them
toward the cottage. A big old lurcher[8] got up slowly from the
doorstone, stretching first one hind leg, and then the other, and
taking Tom's caresses and the presence of Toby, who kept, however, at
a respectful distance, with equal indifference.

[3] #Occult#: secret or magical.

[4] #Manor#: the estate of a lord.

[5] #Publican#: an innkeeper.

[6] #Dingle#: a narrow valley.

[7] #Wicket#: gate.

[8] #Lurcher#: a dog that lies in wait for game, more used by
poachers or men that steal game than by sportsmen.

"Us be come to pay ee a visit. I've a been long minded to do't for old
sake's sake, only I vinds I dwont get about now as