rrier, who was swelling with impatience for his cue. "There's a
nut for _you_ to crack."

Mr. Dowlas was the negative spirit in the company, and was proud of his
position.

"Say? I say what a man _should_ say as doesn't shut his eyes to look
at a finger-post. I say, as I'm ready to wager any man ten pound, if
he'll stand out wi' me any dry night in the pasture before the Warren
stables, as we shall neither see lights nor hear noises, if it isn't
the blowing of our own noses. That's what I say, and I've said it many
a time; but there's nobody 'ull ventur a ten-pun' note on their ghos'es
as they make so sure of."

"Why, Dowlas, that's easy betting, that is," said Ben Winthrop. "You
might as well bet a man as he wouldn't catch the rheumatise if he stood
up to 's neck in the pool of a frosty night. It 'ud be fine fun for a
man to win his bet as he'd catch the rheumatise. Folks as believe in
Cliff's Holiday aren't agoing to ventur near it for a matter o' ten
pound."

"If Master Dowlas wants to know the truth on it," said Mr. Macey, with
a sarcastic smile, tapping his thumbs together, "he's no call to lay
any bet--let him go and stan' by himself--there's nobody 'ull hinder
him; and then he can let the parish'ners know if they're wrong."

"Thank you! I'm obliged to you," said the farrier, with a snort of
scorn. "If folks are fools, it's no business o' mine. _I_ don't want
to make out the truth about ghos'es: I know it a'ready. But I'm not
against a bet--everything fair and open. Let any man bet me ten pound
as I shall see Cliff's Holiday, and I'll go and stand by myself. I
want no company. I'd as lief do it as I'd fill this pipe."

"Ah, but who's to watch you, Dowlas, and see you do it? That's no fair
bet," said the butcher.

"No fair bet?" replied Mr. Dowlas, angrily. "I should like to hear
any man stand up and say I want to bet unfair. Come now, Master Lundy,
I should like to hear you say it."

"Very like you would," said the butcher. "But it's no business o'
mine. You're none o' my bargains, and I aren't a-going to try and
'bate your price. If anybody 'll bid for you at your own vallying, let
him. I'm for peace and quietness, I am."

"Yes, that's what every yapping cur is, when you hold a stick up at
him," said the farrier. "But I'm afraid o' neither man nor ghost, and
I'm ready to lay a fair bet. _I_ aren't a turn-tail cur."

"Aye, but there's this in it, Dowlas," said the landlord, speaking