"An' here," cries he, toasting with solemn enthusiasm, "is wishin' all
water-side rascals in"--'twas now a long pull at the glass--"jail!"
says he. "'Twould go agin my conscience t' wish un worse. I really
isn't able!"
By these wanderings on the hills the slow, suspicious wits of our folk
of Twist Tickle were mystified and aroused to superstitious imaginings.
'Twas inevitable that they should pry and surmise--surmising much
more than they dared pry. They were never bold, however, in the
presence of my uncle, whether because of their courteous ways or
because of his quick temper and sulphurous tongue, in respect to
meddling, I am not able to say; but no doubt they would have troubled
us a deal had my uncle even so much as admitted by the set of his eyelid
(which he never would do) that there was a mystery concerning us. The
lads of the place lurked upon the hills when the business went forward,
continuing in desperate terror of my uncle at such times. They
learned, notwithstanding their fright, that he trudged far and hard,
at first smiling with the day, then muttering darkly, at last
wrathfully swishing the spruce with his staff; but not one of them
could follow to the discovery of the secret, whatever it might be, so
that, though 'twas known the old man exchanged a genial humor for an
execrable one, the why and wherefore were never honestly fathomed.
* * * * *
Came, at last, the day before our departure, upon which my wardrobe
for the journey must be chosen from the closets and chests, inspected,
scrupulously packed--this for travel, that for afternoon, this, again,
for dinner--tweed and serge and velvet: raiment for all occasions, for
all weathers, as though, indeed, I were to spend time with the
governor of the colony. Trinkets and cravats presented pretty
questions for argument, in which my uncle delighted, and would sustain
with spirit, watching rather wistfully, I recall, to see my interest
wax; and my interest would sometimes wax too suddenly for belief,
inspired by his melancholy disappointment, so that he would dig me in
the ribs with his long forefinger and laugh at me because he had
discovered my deception. My uncle was a nice observer (and diligent)
of fashion, and a stickler for congruity of dress, save in the matter
of rings and the like, with which, perhaps, he was in the way of too
largely adorning me.
"Ye'll be wearin' the new Turkish outfit aboard ship, Dannie?" says
he.