ON MARSH AND DYKE 319 



thundered out the stout man, as the ancient manure cart 

 went lurching and jolting along the road leading to the 

 railway station. 



" Well, well ! now that ye be a proper dyked mash- 

 man, surlie you bain't too blazin' proud to ride in a 

 mash cart ? You do wholly supperize me, maister." 



" Sink your dykes and your marshes too, and if ever 

 I set foot on one of them again, may I be " 



The rest of B 's oration was drowned by the report 



of the nine o'clock gun, fired from the garrison hard by. 



