Page:Eliot - Adam Bede, vol. I, 1859.djvu/43

Rh milk-can by way of musical accompaniment. But one of the elderly women bending down to take him by the shoulder, with an air of grave remonstrance, Timothy's Bess's Ben first kicked out vigorously, then took to his heels and sought refuge behind his father's legs.

"Ye gallows young dog," said Sandy Jim, with some paternal pride, "if ye dunna keep that stick quiet, I'll tek it from ye. What d'ye mane by kickin' foulks?"

"Here! gie 'm here to me, Jim," said Chad Cranage; "I'll tie 'm up an' shoe 'm as I do th' bosses. Well, Mester Casson," he continued, as that personage sauntered up towards the group of men, "how are ye t' naight? Are ye coom t' help groon? The' say folks allays groon when they're hearkenin' to th' Methodys, as if the' war bad i' th' inside. I mane to groon as loud as your cow did th' other naight, an' then the praicher 'ull think I'm i' th' raight way."

"I'd advise you not to be up to no nonsense, Chad," said Mr Casson, with some dignity; "Poyser wouldn't like to hear as his wife's niece was treated any ways disrespectful, for all he mayn't be fond of her taking on herself to preach."

"Ay, an' she's a pleasant-looked un too," said