"Ilfracombe?" I hazarded sleepily.

"An old cow! Now what d' you think of that?"

"It was so much the worse for the coo," I quoted.

"What say?"

"It was so much the worse for the cow."

"Worse for the cow?"

"So GEORGE STEPHENSON said, and he invented the locomotive and ought to
know, you'll admit."

The little man stared at me, his mouth open; for once he seemed bereft of
words. We had slowed to a momentary stop, in a small station and pulled out
again before he regained control of his tongue, then he broke loose.

"No, I don't admit it neither. I don't care if your friend George invented
the moon, he talks like a fool, and you can tell him so from me."

"I can't, unfortunately; he's--"

"A chap that talks disrespectful and ignorant of cows like that didn't
oughter be allowed to live. A cow is one of the worstest things you can run
up against. I'd rather run into a row of brick houses than one of them
nasty leathery old devils; and you can hand the information to your chum
George."