in, that's all; and as for the no footmarks, and the bricks and the
sand being all right--why, your eyes are pretty much like a
insect's, Master Marner; they're obliged to look so close, you can't
see much at a time. It's my opinion as, if I'd been you, or you'd
been me--for it comes to the same thing--you wouldn't have
thought you'd found everything as you left it. But what I vote is,
as two of the sensiblest o' the company should go with you to Master
Kench, the constable's--he's ill i' bed, I know that much--and
get him to appoint one of us his deppity; for that's the law, and I
don't think anybody 'ull take upon him to contradick me there. It
isn't much of a walk to Kench's; and then, if it's me as is deppity,
I'll go back with you, Master Marner, and examine your premises; and
if anybody's got any fault to find with that, I'll thank him to
stand up and say it out like a man."

By this pregnant speech the farrier had re-established his
self-complacency, and waited with confidence to hear himself named
as one of the superlatively sensible men.

"Let us see how the night is, though," said the landlord, who also
considered himself personally concerned in this proposition. "Why,
it rains heavy still," he said, returning from the door.

"Well, I'm not the man to be afraid o' the rain," said the
farrier. "For it'll look bad when Justice Malam hears as
respectable men like us had a information laid before 'em and took
no steps."

The landlord agreed with this view, and after taking the sense of
the company, and duly rehearsing a small ceremony known in high