Adrian's slightly drawled rusticity of tone, Farmer Blaize's first
address to them.

"I suppose you were among the Fire-worshippers last night, too?"
persisted Adrian. "In some countries, I hear, they manage their best
sport at night-time, and beat up for game with torches. It must be a
fine sight. After all, the country would be dull if we hadn't a rip here
and there to treat us to a little conflagration."

"A rip!" laughed Richard, to his friend's disgust and alarm at his
daring. "You don't mean this Rip, do you?"

"Mr. Thompson fire a rick? I should as soon suspect you, my dear boy.--
You are aware, young gentlemen, that it is rather a serious thing eh? In
this country, you know, the landlord has always been the pet of the Laws.
By the way," Adrian continued, as if diverging to another topic, "you met
two gentlemen of the road in your explorations yesterday, Magians. Now,
if I were a magistrate of the county, like Sir Miles Papworth, my
suspicions would light upon those gentlemen. A tinker and a ploughman, I
think you said, Mr. Thompson. Not? Well, say two ploughmen."

"More likely two tinkers," said Richard.

"Oh! if you wish to exclude the ploughman--was he out of employ?"

Ripton, with Adrian's eyes inveterately fixed on him, stammered an
affirmative.

"The tinker, or the ploughman?"