Meredith, halting in his angry stride.

"It duz hev a squint toward it, theer ain't no denyin'.
But I reckon it wuz baound ter come, vote ay or vote nay.
Fer nigh three months all the young fellers hev been drillin'
pooty reg'lar."

"Oh!" spoke up Janice. "Then that 's what Charles
meant when he said 't was drill took him to the village."

"What?" demanded the squire. "My bond-servant?"

"Ay. 'T is he duz the trainin', so Phil tells me."

Mr. Meredith opened the door into the hall, and bawled,
"Peg!" Without waiting to give the maid time to answer
the summons he roared the name again, and continued to
fairly bellow it until the appearance of the girl, whom he then
ordered to "find Charles and send him here." Slightly relieved,
he stamped back to the fire, muttering to himself in
his ire.

A pause for a moment ensued, and then the elder Hennion
spoke: "Waal, Meredith, hev yer rumpus with yer servant,
but fust off let me say the say ez me and Phil come fer."

"And what 's that?"

"I rayther guess yer know areddy," continued the father,
while the son's face became of the colour of the hickory