CHAPTER XXIV. 



I DEAL WITH GIPSY CHALVEY, BEFORE WITNESSES— MY 

 aunt's opinion— SYMPTOMS OF A COLD. 



HALVEYhas a careless, jaunty, way with him, — 

 a sort of take-it-or-leave-it kind of air, — and he 

 begins by impressing me with the obhgation I 

 am under to him for bringing the cob for my 

 mspection. 



" I heard as you wanted something of this sort, so, as I 

 was just passing through, I thought as I'd show him to 

 you. There's Mr. Applethwaite sweet on him, but I fancy 

 as he'll have a better place with a gentleman like you, 

 Sir." 



What can I say to this? Nothing. Mr. Applethwaite is 

 a substantial farmer, a very substantial farmer, indeed, 

 weighing quite eighteen stone, and able to buy me and my 

 Aunt, Murgle, and the whole lot of us, and lead us into 

 slavery, if the law of the land happened to permit it. 



Happy Thotight. — Mr. Applethwaite, mounted, would 

 look " sweet on him." 



So this remark of the Gipsy's is a genuine compliment. 



