"But we seen 'im run this way," demurred Surly.
"Ah!--he must ha' run oop or down this 'ere lane," said Stentor.
"He did neither," said Barnabas.
"Why, then p'r'aps you be stone blind as well as stone deaf?"
suggested Stentor.
"Neither one nor the other," answered Barnabas, "and now, since I
have answered all your questions, suppose you go and look somewhere
else?"
"Look, is it?--look wheer--d'ye mean--?"
"I mean--go."
"Go!" repeated Stentor, round of eye, "then s'pose you tell us--wheer!"
"Anywhere you like, only--be off!"
"Now you can claw me!" exclaimed Stentor with an injured air,
nodding to his gun, seeing his companion had already hurried off,
"you can grab and duck me if this don't beat all!--you can burn an'
blister me if ever I met a deaf cove as was so ongrateful as this
'ere deaf cove,--me 'avin' used this yer v'ice o' mine for 'is
be'oof an' likewise benefit; v'ices like mine is a gift as was
bestowed for deaf 'uns like 'im;--I've met deaf 'uns afore, yes,--but
such a ongrateful deaf 'un as 'im,--no. All I 'opes is as 'e gets
deafer an' deafer, as deaf as a stock, as a stone, as a--dead
sow,--that's all I 'opes!"
Having said which, Stentor nodded to his gun again, glanced at
Barnabas again, and strode off, muttering, after his companion.
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