Part 20 (1/2)
”Halleluia! Nathan Blyth. That'll be a glorious teeal te tell, an' a glorious crood te lissen tiv it,” said Adam Olliver, who had ridden up to the Forge to get a new supply of shoes for Balaam, whom he speedily tethered by his bridle to the iron hook driven into the wall for that purpose.
”Good mornin', Adam. What, is Balaam going barefoot?”
”Why, no, he is'nt exactly as bad as that, bud he's gettin' sae near t' grund 'at ah thowt it was better to tak' it i' tahme. Can yo' spare tahme te shoe 'im?”
”Hey, hey, old friend. I'll put him to rights for you. I have his size,” said Natty, glancing along the rows of ready made shoes, ”and I'll fit him in a twinkling. But what will you give me for my news this morning?”
”Why, ah deean't knoa. It mebbe isn't worth mitch.”
”Hey, but it is. It's news 'at 'll warm your heart, or I'm a Dutchman.”
”What, hez Black Morris turned up? Or is t' young squire better?”
Nathan Blyth's face clouded a moment, as he said, ”I'm sorry to say I've nought so good to say of either. Still it's good news.”
”Oot wiv it, then. 'Bad news'll keep, let good news peep.' Why, you deean't meean te say t' squire's gi'en us a bit o' land?”
”No,” said Natty, ”you'll have to wait a bit longer for that miracle to come to pa.s.s. But I've a miracle to tell you that's almost as big.
We've gotten another place to hold service in, an' it's best place in all the neighbourhood.”
”Prayse the Lord. He nivver was woss then His wod yit. Wheer is it?”
”Why, it's in Midden Harbour!” said Nathan, whose eyes were twinkling with delight.
”You deean't say sae? Ah didn't doot 'at G.o.d wad oppen' t' way, bud ah didn't expect it quite sae seean. Wheease hoose is it?”
”It's n.o.body's house; it's”----
”What! Is it t' mautkill?”
”Hey!” shouted Blithe Natty, and he gave the haunch of the old donkey such a slap with his big, open hand, as who should say, ”There, Balaam, what do you think to that?”
Balaam, for once in his life, was thoroughly astounded. He erected his ears, turned his wondering gaze on the triumphant blacksmith, and gave vent to a loud ”Hee-ho” of most magnificent volume and a _crescendo_ force that was quite startling.
”That's right, Balaam,” said Old Adam, laughing heartily. ”It'll mak'
uthers c.o.c.k their ears an' oppen their mooth besides thoo. Halleluia!
Halleluia!”
Either startled still more by the old man's enthusiasm or else entering into the spirit of their triumph, Balaam gave tongue a second time, in a style that sent the two bystanders into such a fit of laughter that it threatened to endanger a blood-vessel.
”What in the world's up now?” said Farmer Houston, who suddenly appeared upon the scene.
”Oop?” said Adam. ”Why, ivverything's oop! Methodism's oop! Piggy Morris is oop! an' oor sperrits is oop: mahne, an' Nathan's, an'
Balaam's, an' all!”
Mr. Houston's delight at the taking of Fort Midden Harbour was extreme, and it was agreed that information should be sent at once to Mr. Mitch.e.l.l, that the good work might be forthwith begun.