Page:Minnie's Bishop and Other Stories (1915).djvu/127

 Eckersley, and fell, still clinging tightly to the pig. Lieutenant Eckersley also fell.

The double accident happened in a particularly dirty corner of the yard in front of the cottage. When Lieutenant Eckersley got up his beautiful uniform was covered with mud from the collar of his coat to the bottom of his trousers. He swore. Mr. Benson grinned feebly. He did not want to grin, but he did. The police sergeant giggled and then choked. The other members of the force also giggled. Lieutenant Eckersley swore again. Matty Hynes, on the other hand, got up in a very good temper. He was not wearing a beautiful uniform, and he had the pig safe. The police sergeant, repenting of his giggle, pulled a handful of straw out of the thatch of the cottage, and set to work to wipe the mud off Lieutenant Eckersley.

"I'm ready to go home now, any time," said Matty Hynes, hugging the pig. "If I can't get a decent price for him I'll buy him in myself and keep him till he's fat."

"If you think," said Lieutenant Eckersley, "that I'm going to turn the Curlew into a cattle boat to carry your filthy pigs, you're making a big mistake."

"It's joking you are," said Matty Hynes.

"I'll soon show you whether I'm joking. You can either leave that pig behind you, or stay with him yourself, for you'll not bring him on board my boat."

Matty Hynes looked helplessly at Mr. Benson.