"First-rate," said Bevis. "But let's make the matchlock."
Now that he had succeeded in tacking he was eager to go on to the next thing, especially the matchlock-gun. The hope of shooting made him three times as ready to carry out Mark's plan of the cave on the island. After furling the sails, and leaving everything ship-shape, they ran home and changed their jackets, which were soaked.
Talking upstairs about the barrel of the gun, they began to think it would be an awkward thing to bring home, people would look at them walking through the town with an iron pipe, and when they had got it home, other people might ask what it was for. Presently Mark remembered that John Young went to Latten that day with the horse and cart to fetch things; now if they bought the tube, Young could call for it, and bring it in the cart and leave it at his cottage. Downstairs they ran, and up to the stables, and as they came near, heard the stamp of a cart-horse, as it came over. Mark began to whistle the tune,--
"John Young went to town On a little pony, Stuck a feather in his hat, And called him Macaroni."
"Macaroni!" said he, as they looked in at the stable-door. "Macaroni" did not answer; the leather of the harness creaked as he moved it.
"Macaroni!" shouted Mark. He did not choose to reply to such a nickname.
"Eez--eez," replied the man, looking under the horse's neck, and meaning "Yes, yes."
"Ar-right," ["all right"] said John, his little brown eyes twinkling. "Ar-right, you." For a quart of ale there were few things he would not have done: for a gallon his soul would not have had a moment's consideration, if it had stood in the way.
Bell, book, and candle shall not drive me back When pewter tankard beckons to come on!
They explained to him what they wanted him to do.
"Have you got a grate in your house?" said Bevis.
"A yarth," said John, meaning an open hearth. "Burns wood."
"Can you make a hot fire--very hot on it?"
"Rayther. Boilers." By using the bellows. "What could we have for an anvil?"
"Iron quarter," said John. "There's an ould iron in the shed. Shall I take he whoam?" An iron quarter is a square iron weight weighing 28 pounds: it would make a useful anvil. It was agreed that he should do so, and they saw him put the old iron weight, rusty and long disused, up in the cart.