Part 14 (1/2)

TAKE NOTICE.

ALL WIMMEN FOUND TRAPESING ON THIS BEECH WILL BE DEALT WITH ACCORDING TO THE LAW.

Above this notice jauntily rested the Admiral's c.o.c.ked-hat, which had drifted ash.o.r.e further up on the s.h.i.+ngle--an awful witness to the earnestness of the threat and the vanity of human greatness.

Caleb stood in front of his handiwork and gazed at it with honest pride for some minutes; then went into the house to fetch Mr. Fogo forth to look. He was absent for some minutes. When he returned with his master, their eyes were greeted with a curious sight.

On the spit of s.h.i.+ngle, and staring open-mouthed at the notice, stood the Twins, their honest faces expressing the extreme of perplexity.

A few yards off the sh.o.r.e, in their boat, waited Tamsin, and leant quietly on her paddles.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Staring open-mouthed at the notice.]

At the sight of her, Caleb's face fell a full inch; but he led his master down and planted him resolutely in front of the board.

Mr. Fogo stared helplessly from it to the Twins.

”Mornin', sir,” said Peter, after a long pause. His face wore a deepened colour, and he smiled awkwardly.

”Good-morning,” replied Mr. Fogo.

”A fine mornin',” repeated Peter, with a long gaze at the board, ”an'

no mistake.”

There was another long interval, during which everybody stared hard at the Notice.

”'Tes a powerful fine mornin',” Peter re-a.s.serted very slowly, ”ef so be as your station in life es in noways connected with turmuts.

Ef 'tes the less us says about the mornin' the better.” With this observation Peter looked hard at Mr. Fogo, as if the ball of conversation now lay in that gentleman's hands.

”What do 'ee think o' this 'ere Notice?” broke in Caleb.

Paul twitched his yellow bandanna and smiled evasively.

”'Tes very pretty writin', sir, sure-ly,” he replied, addressing Mr.

Fogo. ”Nice thick down-strokes, an' all as it shou'd be.”

”Uncommon fash'nubble et makes the beach look, sir, a'ready,” added Peter.

Some mental reservation seemed to lurk behind this criticism.

Mr. Fogo looked dubiously from the Twins to Caleb, who stood with his eyes fixed on his handiwork.

”Axin' your pard'n, sir, an' makin' so free as to mention et,” began Peter at length, pulling off his hat and twirling the brim between his fingers, ”but us was a bit taken aback, not understandin' as fash'nubbleness was to begin so smart; or us wou'dn't have introoded--spesh'ly Tamsin. Tamsin was thinkin' this mornin' as a pound of fresh b.u.t.ter might be acceptable to the gentl'm'n down at Kit's House, wi' ha'f a dozen fresh eggs or so, 'cos her Minorcy hen began to lay agen last week, an' the spickaty Hamburg as allays lays double yolks; an' Paul an' me agreed you wudn' be above acceptin' a little present o' this natur', not seemin' proud, an' Tamsin shou'd bring et hersel', the eggs bein' hers in a manner o' speakin'.

But us was not wishful to introod, sir, an' iver since us seed the board here, her's been keepin' her distance in the boat yonder; on'y us stepped ash.o.r.e to larn ef there was anything us cou'd do to make things s.h.i.+p-shape an' fitty for 'ee.”

At the end of this long address, Peter, whose mahogany face was several shades deeper, pulled up, and resumed his hat.

”s.h.i.+p-shape an' fitty--not wishful for to introod. That's so, Peter,” echoed his brother.