“An’ thee think, sir, as we shall win un?” said Bumpkin.
“Well,” said Mr. Prigg, “I never like to prophesy; but if ever a case looked like winning it’s _Bumpkin_ v. _Snooks_. And I may tell you this, Mr. Bumpkin, only pray don’t say that I told you.”
“What be thic, sir?” asked the eager client, with his eyes open as widely as ever client’s can be.
“The other side are in a tre-_men_-dous way!”
“What, funkin’, be um? I said so. That there Snooks be a rank bad un—now, then, we’ll at un like steam.”
“All in good time, Bumpkin,” said the worthy Prigg, affectionately taking his client’s hand. “All in good time. My kind regards to Mrs. Bumpkin. I suppose you return to-night?”
“Ay, sir, I be off by the fust train. Good day t’ ye, sir; good day and thankee.”
Thus comforted and thus grateful did the confiding client take leave of his legal adviser, who immediately took down his costs-book and booked a long conference, including the two hours that Mr. Bumpkin was kept in the “outer office.” This followed immediately after another “long conference with you when you thought we should be in the paper to-morrow from what a certain Mr. O’Rapley had told you, and I thought we should not.”
As he passed through the “outer office” he shook. Horatio by the hand. “Good-bye, sir. I knows what it wur now—bean’t comin’ on.”
“Don’t say I told you,” said the pale boy, as though he were afraid of communicating some tremendous secret.
“Noa, thee bean’t told I. Now, lookee ’ere, Mr. Jigger, come down when thee like; I shall be rare and prood to see thee, and so’ll Missus.”
“Thanks,” said Horatio; “I’ll be sure and come. _Mither woy_!”
“Ha! mither woy, lad! that’s ur; thee got un. Good-bye.”
How peaceful the farm seemed after all the turmoil and worry that Farmer Bumpkin had been subjected to in London! What a haven of rest is a peaceful Home! How the ducks seemed to quack!—louder, as Mr. Bumpkin thought, than they ever did before. The little flock of sheep looked up as he went, with his old ash stick under his arm, to look round the farm. They seemed to say to one another, “Why, here’s Master; I told you he’d come back.” And the cows turned their heads and bellowed a loud welcome. They knew nothing of his troubles, and only expressed their extreme pleasure at seeing him again. They left off eating the whole time he was with them; for they were very well bred Shorthorns and Alderneys. It was quite pleasant to see how well behaved they all were. And Mrs. Bumpkin pointed out which ones had calved and which were expected to calve in the course of a few months. And then the majestic bull looked up with an expression of immense delight; came up to Mr. Bumpkin and put his nose in his master’s hand, and gazed as only a bull would gaze on a farmer who had spent several weeks in London. It was astonishing with what admiration the bull regarded him; and he seemed quite delighted as Mrs. Bumpkin told her husband of the bull’s good conduct in his absence; how he had never broken bounds once, and had behaved himself as an exemplary bull on all occasions.