thought he was blushing too, for his face was very red, though that came
perhaps from lying on the ground. I could see he was a little put about,
and out of countenance, though he tried to say 'Good morning, John', in
an easy tone, as if it was a common thing for him to be lying in the
churchyard, with his ear to the wall, on a winter's morning. 'Good
morning, John,' he said; 'and what might you be doing in the churchyard
this fine day?'

I answered that I was come to listen if the Mohunes were still moving.

'Well, that I can't tell you,' returned Ratsey, 'not wishing to waste
thought on such idle matters, and having to examine this wall whether
the floods have not so damaged it as to need under-pinning; so if you
have time to gad about of a morning, get you back to my workshop and
fetch me a plasterer's hammer which I have left behind, so that I can
try this mortar.'

I knew that he was making excuses about underpinning, for the wall was
sound as a rock, but was glad enough to take him at his word and beat a
retreat from where I was not wanted. Indeed, I soon saw how he was
mocking me, for the men did not even wait for me to come back with the
hammer, but I met them returning in the first meadow. Master Ratsey made
another excuse that he did not need the hammer now, as he had found out
that all that was wanted was a little pointing with new mortar. 'But if
you have such time to waste, John,' he added, 'you can come tomorrow and
help me to get new thwarts in the _Petrel_, which she badly wants.'

So we three came back to the village together; but looking up at Elzevir
once while Master Ratsey was making these pretences, I saw his eyes
twinkle under their heavy brows, as if he was amused at the other's