Uncle Issy collapsed.

"I reckon you'm all afeard o' this man," continued Prudy, looking round
on the company, "else I'd have heard some mention of a shal-lal
afore this."

The men with one accord drew their pipes out and looked at her.

"I mean it. If Porthlooe was the place it used to be, there'd be tin
kettles in plenty to drum en out o' this naybourhood to the Rogue's
March next time he showed his face here. When's he comin' back?"

No one knew.

"The girl's as bad; but 'twould be punishment enough for her to know her
lover was hooted out o' the parish. Mind you, _I_'ve no grudge agen the
man. I liked his dare-devil look, the only time I saw en. I'm only
sayin' what I think--that you'm all afeard."

"I don't b'long to the parish," remarked a Landaviddy man, in the pause
that followed, "but 'tis incumbent on Lanihale, I'm fain to admit."

The Lanihale men fired up at this.

"I've a tin-kettle," said Calvin Oke, "an' I'm ready."

"An' I for another," said Elias Sweetland. "An' I, An' I," echoed
several voices.