human
I say, Tom, it wasn't half a bang,
gpt
No, was the panted-out reply;
human
I don't care what he says. I shall give him a shilling to buy some more powder, and he can soon make himself another horn.
gpt
Yes, it's all right, Master Winthorpe, said Farmer Tallington;
human
Say! What have they got to do with it? cried Squire Winthorpe.
gpt
You boys don't make so much noise. I can't hear myself speak.
human
Do you hear, Tom, howd thy row, or I'll send thee home, said the farmer;
gpt
Yes, father,
human
It wasn't Tom; it was me,
gpt
Then hold your tongue, sir, cried the squire.
human
Now look here, Master Tallington. If a big drain is cut right through the low fen, it will carry off all the water; and where now there's nothing but peat, we can get acres and acres of good dry land that will graze beasts or grow corn.
gpt
Yes, that's fine enough, squire, said Tom's father;
human
I don't care what they say, cried the squire hotly.
gpt
There are about fifty of us, and we're going to do it. Will you join?
human
Hum! said Tom Tallington's father, taking his long clay-pipe from his lips and scratching his head with the end.
gpt
What about the money?
human
You'll have to be answerable for a hundred pounds, and it means your own farm worth twice as much, and perhaps a score of acres of good land for yourself.
gpt
But it can't be good land, squire. There be twenty foot right down o' black peat, and nowt under that but clay.
human
I tell you that when the water's out of it, James Tallington, all that will be good valuable land. Now, then, will you join the adventurers?
gpt
Look here, squire, we've known each other twenty year, and I ask thee as a man, will it be all right?
human
And I tell you, man, that I'm putting all I've got into it. If it were not right, I wouldn't ask you to join.
gpt
Nay, that you wouldn't, squire, said Farmer Tallington, taking a good draught from his ale.
human
I'm saaving a few pounds for that young dog, and I believe in you. I'll be two hundred, and that means--
gpt
Twice as much land, said the squire, holding out his hand.
human
Spoken like a man, Master Tallington; and if the draining fails, which it can't do, I'll pay you two hundred myself.
gpt
Nay, thou weant, said Farmer Tallington stoutly.
human
Nay, squire, I'll tak' my risk of it, and if it turns out bad, Tom will have to tak' his chance like his father before him. I had no two hundred or five hundred pounds to start me.
gpt
Nor I,
human
May we talk now, father?
gpt
Yes, if you like.
human
Then, cried Dick,
gpt
I wish you wouldn't do it. Why, it'll spoil all the fishing and the 'coy, and we shall get no ice for our pattens, and there'll be no water for the punt, and no wild swans or geese or duck, and no peat to cut or reeds to slash. Oh, I say, father, don't drain the fen.
human
Why, you ignorant young cub, cried the squire,
gpt
Well, no, not always, said Dick,
human
But--get out with your buts, sir. Won't it be better to have solid land about us instead of marsh, and beef and mutton instead of birds, and wheat instead of fish?
gpt
No, I don't think so, father.
human
Well, then, sir, I do, said the squire.
gpt
I suppose you wouldn't like the ague driven away?
human
I don't mind, father, said Dick laughing.
gpt
I never get it.
human
No, but others do, and pains in their joints, and rheumatics. I say, Tallington, when they get as old as we are, eh?
gpt
Yes, they'll find out the difference, squire; but do you know, that's how all the fen-men'll talk.
human
Let 'em, said the squire;