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〃Ten；〃 Bertie corrected。 He recalled to Billy the matter about the
landlady's hair。
〃By Jove； that's so！〃 cried Billy； brightening。 It seemed conclusive。
But he grew cloudy again the next moment。 He was of opinion that one
could go too far in a thing。
〃Where's your sand？〃 said Bertie。
Billy made an unseemly rejoinder； but even in the making was visited by
inspiration。 He saw the whole thing as it really was。 〃By Jove！〃 said
he； 〃we couldn't get back in time for dinner。〃
〃There's my bonny boy！〃 said Bertie； with pride； and he touched up the
black gelding。 Uneasiness had left both of them。 Cambridge was
manifestly impossible； an error in judgment； food compelled them to seek
the Bird…in…Hand。 〃We'll try Quincy； anyhow；〃 Bertie said。 Billy
suggested that they inquire of people on the road。 This provided a new
sporting event： they could bet upon the answers。 Now； the roads； not
populous at noon； had grown solitary in the sweetness of the long
twilight。 Voices of birds there were； and little； black； quick brooks；
full to the margin grass； shot under the roadway through low bridges。
Through the web of young foliage the sky shone saffron； and frogs piped
in the meadow swamps。 No cart or carriage appeared； however； and the
bets languished。 Bertie； driving with one hand； was buttoning his coat
with the other； when the black gelding leaped from the middle of the
road to the turf and took to backing。 The buggy reeled； but the driver
was skilful； and fifteen seconds of whip and presence of mind brought it
out smoothly。 Then the cause of all this spoke to them from a gate。
〃Come as near spillin' as you boys wanted； I guess；〃 remarked the cause。
They looked； and saw him in huge white shirt…sleeves； shaking with
joviality。 〃If you kep' at it long enough you might a…most learn to
drive a horse；〃 he continued； eying Bertie。 This came as near direct
praise as the true son of our soilNorthern or Southernoften thinks
well of。 Bertie was pleased； but made a modest observation； and 〃Are we
near the tavern？〃 he asked。 〃Bird…in…Hand！〃 the son of the soil echoed；
and he contemplated them from his gate。 That's me；〃 he stated； with
complacence。 〃Bill Diggs of the Bird…in…Hand has been me since April；
'65。〃 His massy hair had been yellow； his broad body must have weighed
two hundred and fifty pounds； his face was canny； red； and somewhat
clerical； resembling Henry Ward Beecher's。
〃Trout；〃 he said； pointing to a basket by the gate。 〃For your dinner。
〃Then he climbed heavily but skilfully down and picked up the basket and
a rod。 〃Folks round here say；〃 said he； 〃that there ain't no more trout
up them meadows。 They've been a…sayin' that since '74； and I've been
a…sayin' it myself； when judicious。〃 Here he shook slightly and opened
the basket。 〃Twelve；〃 he said。 〃Sixteen yesterday。 Now you go along
and turn in the first right…hand turn； and I'll be up with you soon。
Maybe you might make room for the trout。〃 Room for him as well； they
assured him； they were in luck to find him； they explained。 〃Well； I
guess I'll trust my neck with you；〃 he said to Bertie； the skillful
driver； 〃'tain't five minutes' risk。〃 The buggy leaned； and its springs
bent as he climbed in； wedging his mature bulk between their slim
shapes。 The gelding looked round the shaft at them。 〃Protestin'； are
you？〃 he said to it。 〃These light…weight stoodents spile you！〃 So the
gelding went on； expressing； however； by every line of its body； a sense
of outraged justice。 The boys related their difficult search； and
learned that any mention of the name of Diggs would have brought them
straight。 〃Bill Higgs of the Bird…in…Hand was my father； and my
grandf'ther； and his father； and has been me sence I come back from the
war and took the business in '65。 I'm not commonly to be met out this
late。 About fifteen minutes earlier is my time for gettin' back； unless
I'm plannin' for a jamboree。 But to…night I got to settin' and watchin'
that sunset； and listenin' to a darned red…winged blackbird； and I guess
Mrs。 Higgs has decided to expect me somewheres about noon to…morrow or
Friday。 Say； did Johnnie send you？ 〃When he found that John had in a
measure been responsible for their journey； he filled with gayety。 〃Oh；
Johnnie's a bird！〃 said he。 〃He's that demure on first appearance。
Walked in last evening and wanted dinner。 Did he tell you what he ate？
Guess he left out what he drank。 Yes； he's demure。〃
You might suppose that upon their landlord's safe and sober return
fifteen minutes late； instead of on the expected noon of Thursday or
Friday； their landlady would show signs of pleasure； but Mrs。 Diggs from
the porch threw an uncordial eye at the three arriving in the buggy。
Here were two more like Johnnie of last night。 She knew them by the
clothes they wore and by the confidential tones of her husband's voice
as he chatted to them。 He had been old enough to know better for twenty
years。 But for twenty years he had taken the same extreme joy in the
company of Johnnies； and they were bad for his health。 Her final proof
that they belonged to this hated breed was when Mr。 Diggs thumped the
trout down on the porch； and after briefly remarking； 〃Half of 'em
boiled； and half broiled with bacon；〃 himself led away the gelding to
the stable instead of intrusting it to his man Silas。
〃You may set in the parlor；〃 said Mrs。 Diggs； and departed stiffly with
the basket of trout。
〃It's false；〃 said Billy； at once。
Bertie did not grasp his thought。
〃Her hair；〃 said Billy。 And certainly it was an unusual…looking
arrangement。
Presently； as they sat near a parlor organ in the presence of earnest
family portraits； Bertie made a new poem for Billy；
〃Said Aristotle unto Plato；
'Have another sweet potato？ '〃
And Billy responded； …
〃Said Plato unto Aristotle；
'Thank you； I prefer the bottle。'〃
〃In here； are you？〃 said their beaming host at the door。 〃Now； I think
you'd find my department of the premises cosier； so to speak。〃 He
nudged Bertie。 〃Do you boys guess it's too early in the season for a
silver…fizz？〃
We must not wholly forget Oscar in Cambridge。 During the afternoon he
had not failed in his punctuality； two more neat witnesses to this lay
on the door…mat beneath the letter…slit of Billy's room； And at the
appointed hour after dinner a third joined them； making five。 John
found these cards when he came home to go to bed； and picked them up and
stuck them ornamentally in Billy's looking…glass； as a greeting when
Billy should return； The eight o'clock visit was the last that Oscar
paid to the locked door； He remained through the evening in his own
room； studious； contented； unventilated； indulging in his thick notes；
and also in the thought of Billy's and Bertie's eleventh…hour
scholarship； 〃Even with another day；〃 he told himself； 〃those young men
could not