In fulfilment of his assertion, the squire sat quietly at home
on the afternoon that the popular opinion of the county
sought to voice itself, nodding his head over a volume of
"Hale's Compleat Body of Husbandry." But as night drew
near he was roused from his nap by the riding up of Squire
Hennion and Philemon. Let it be confessed that, despite Mr.
Meredith's contempt for what he styled the "mobocracy,"
his first question concerned the meeting.

"A pooty mess yer've made of it, Meredith," growled Mr.
Hennion.

"I!" cried the squire, indignantly. "'T is naught I had to
do with it."

"An' 't is thet 'ere keepin' away dun the harm," scolded
the elder Hennion. "Swamp it, yer let the hotheads control!
Had all like yer but attended, they 'd never hev bin
able to carry some of them 'ere resolushuns. On mor'n one
resolve a single vote would hev bin a negative."

"Pooh!" sneered the squire. "Sit down and warm thy
feet while thee cools thy head, man. Ye'll not get me to
believe that one vote only was needed to prevent 'em indorsing
the Congress association."

"Sartin they approved the Congress doins, nemine contradicente,
as they wuz baound ter do since all aginst kep away,
but--"