Once more Barnabas marked the place with his finger, and glancing up,
straightway espied Stentor, somewhat red-faced, as was but natural,
clad in a velveteen jacket and with a long barrelled gun on his
shoulder.
"Might you be shouting at me?" inquired Barnabas.
"Well," replied Stentor, looking up and down the lane, "I don't see
nobody else to shout at, so let's s'pose as I be shouting at ye,
bean't deaf, be ye?"
"No, thank God."
"'Cause if so be as y' are deaf, a can shout a tidy bit louder nor
that a reckon."
"I can hear you very well as it is."
"Don't go for to be too sartin, now; ye see I've got a tidy voice, I
have, which I aren't noways afeared o' usin'!"
"So it would appear!" nodded Barnabas.
"You're quite sure as ye can 'ear me, then?"
"Quite."
"Werry good then, if you are sure as you can 'ear me I'd like to ax
'ee a question, though, mark me, I'll shout it, ah! an' willin'; if
so be you're minded, say the word!"
But, before Barnabas could reply, another man appeared, being also
clad in velveteens and carrying a long barrelled gun.
"Wot be doin', Jarge?" he inquired of Stentor, in a surly tone,
"wot be wastin' time for"
"W'y, lookee, I be about to ax this 'ere deaf chap a question,
though ready, ah! an' willin' to shout it, if so be 'e gives the word."
"Stow yer gab, Jarge," retorted Surly, more surly than ever, "you be
a sight too fond o' usin' that theer voice o' your'n!" saying which
he turned to Barnabas: "Did ye see ever a desprit, poachin' wagabone run down this 'ere lane,
sir?" he inquired.
"No," answered Barnabas.
"Well, did ye see ever a thievin' wastrel run oop this 'ere lane?"
demanded Stentor.
"No," answered Barnabas.
"But we seen 'im run this way," demurred Surly.
"Ah!--he must ha' run oop or down this 'ere lane," said Stentor.
"He did neither," said Barnabas.
"Why, then p'r'aps you be stone blind as well as stone deaf?"
suggested Stentor.
"Neither one nor the other," answered Barnabas, "and now, since I
have answered all your questions, suppose you go and look somewhere
else?"
"Look, is it?--look wheer--d'ye mean--?"
"I mean--go."
"Go!" repeated Stentor, round of eye, "then s'pose you tell us--wheer!"
"Anywhere you like, only--be off!"
"Now you can claw me!" exclaimed Stentor with an injured air,
nodding to his gun, seeing his companion had already hurried off,
"you can grab and duck me if this don't beat all!--you can burn an'
blister me if ever I met a deaf cove as was so ongrateful as this
'ere deaf cove,--me 'avin' used this yer v'ice o' mine for 'is
be'oof an' likewise benefit; v'ices like mine is a gift as was
bestowed for deaf 'uns like 'im;--I've met deaf 'uns afore, yes,--but
such a ongrateful deaf 'un as 'im,--no. All I 'opes is as 'e gets
deafer an' deafer, as deaf as a stock, as a stone, as a--dead
sow,--that's all I 'opes!"