Besides, to
offend one jowder was to offend all. They combined to buy the fish at
any price they chose: if angered, they would combine now and then not
to buy it at all.
"You old twenty per cent rascal," roared the Lieutenant, "after making
a fortune out of these poor fellows' mishaps, do you want to poison
'em all with your stinking fish?"
"I say, Lieutenant," says old Beer, whose son owed Treluddra fifty
pounds at that moment, "fair's fair. You mind your Coastguard, and
we'm mind our trade. We'm free fishermen, by charter and right; you'm
not our master, and you shall know it."
"Know it?" says the Lieutenant, foaming.
"Iss; you put your head inside my presences, and I'll split mun open,
if I be hanged for it."
"You split my head open?"
"Iss, by--." And the old grey-bearded sea-king set his arms akimbo.
"Gentlemen, gentlemen, for Heaven's sake!" cries poor Headley, "this
is really going too far. Gentlemen, the vestry is adjourned!"
"Best thing too! oughtn't never to have been called," says one and
another.
And some one, as he went out, muttered something about "interloping
strange doctors, colloquies with popish curates," which was answered
by a--"Put 'mun in the quay pule," from Treluddra.
Tom stepped up to Treluddra instantly, "What were you so kind as to
say, sir?"
Treluddra turned very pale. "I didn't say nought."
"Oh, but I assure you I heard; and I shall be most happy to jump into
the quay pule this afternoon, if it will afford you the slightest
amusement.
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