"Hush, my boy! Don't interpose when people are speaking."

"Oh, let him talk, sir," said the butcher, good-naturedly. "I like to
hear a boy want to know. It's what my boy won't do. He's asleep half
his time, and I feed him well too."

"Humph!" ejaculated the doctor.

"Billy's my old bull, as I always keeps shut up close in my yard,
because he is dangerous."

"And very properly," said the doctor.

"Quite right, sir, quite right; and I want to know then what right Sir
James has to come ordering me about. He's no customer of mine. Took it
all away and give it to Mossetts, because he said the mutton was woolly,
when I give you my word, sir, that it was as good a bit o' mutton as I
ever killed."

"Yes, yes, Dengate, but what has all this to do with me?" said the
doctor testily.

"Well, sir, begging your pardon, only this: your young lady and young
gentleman was there, and I want to know the rights of it all. My man
says the beasts are quiet enough, only playful, and I say the same; but
I may be making a mistake. I went in the medder this morning, with my
boy Ezry, and he could drive 'em anywheres, and he's only ten. Did they
trouble your young folks, sir?"

"Well, Dexter: you can answer that," said the doctor.

"Trouble us?--no!" said Dexter, laughing. "Miss Grayson was a bit
afraid of 'em, but I ran the big one, and he galloped off across the
fields."

"There," said the butcher; "what did I say? Bit playful, that's all."

"And when we heard a noise, and found one of 'em standing over that
young Danby, he was only turning him over, that's all."

"Yes; he was running away, and fell down, and the beasts came to look at
him," said Dengate, laughing.

"And Sir James was over on the stile calling for help. Why, as soon as
I ran at the bullocks they all galloped off, all but the big one, and I
give him a crack on the horn, and soon made him go."

"Of course. Why, a child would make 'em run. That's all, sir, I only
wanted to know whether they really was dangerous, because if they had
been, as I said afore, bullock it is now, but beef it should be. Good
morning, sir."

"What are you going to do!" said the doctor.

"Do, sir? I'm a-going to let Sir James do his worst. My beasts ain't
dangerous, and they ain't on a public road, so there they stay till I
want 'em for the shop. Morning, young--er--gentleman. You're not
afraid of a bullock?"

"No," said Dexter quietly, "I don't think I am."

"