Hicks," interposed the deacon,
throwing at the same time a deprecatory glance at the old justice,
whose nose was growing redder, and whose eye began to twinkle in
incipient wrath.

"Let the gentleman proceed with his interesting developments," said
Hull, rising with the most ludicrous gravity, and waving his hand in a
solemn and dignified manner.

"Well," said Joe, a little mollified at the word 'gentleman,' "ef I
must tell it agin, I must, that's all. They was a picken strawberries
like Old Sanko."

"How long do you think they were there, trampling down the grass?"
asked the deacon.

"Why, I spose from the time I seed 'em"--here he stopped abruptly,
glanced out of the window toward the tavern, spit thirstily, and then
looked at the deacon.

"Let the gentleman proceed," again cried Hull, half rising, in mock
respect.

"_Pro_ceed!" said the justice, angrily.

"Well, as I was a sayen, from the time I seed 'em---- But I say,
deacon, I'm monstrous dry. You're temp'rance I know; but sposen as how
you treat me and old Squire Tappit there to some red eye. He won't
refuse, no how you can fix it, and as for me, I am so dry I really
can't talk."

"Go on with your story, you scoundrel!" shouted the justice,
exasperated beyond all bounds, "or I'll commit you to prison."

"Commit me to prison, you old brandy-jug!" yelled Joe, swinging off
his ragged coat at a jerk, and throwing it on the floor, "commit _me_,
you mahogany-nosed old sarpent!" advancing close to the justice, with
both of his great fists ready.

"Let the gentleman proceed," here broke in Hull again, in an agony of
laughter.

And, sure enough, the "gentleman" did proceed. Launching out his right
fist in the most approved fashion at the nose of the justice, Joe was
in an instant the center of a perfect Pandemonium. The constable
rushed in to protect the justice, who was shouting continually, "I
command the peace;" the bystanders, ready for a fight at any time,
followed his example, and, for a few minutes, there was a perfect
chaos of arms, legs, and heads, sticking out in every direction.

The first thing Hull and I saw were the heels of the justice
flourishing in the air, and the last was Joe going off to jail in the
grasp of the constable one way, and the deacon sneaking off another.
We never heard afterward of the suit, but "Let the gentleman proceed,"
was for a long time a by-word amongst us in the village.

After crossing the strawberry field we c