"Oh dear, not at all!" said Biddy. "Don't mind me."

     "If I could only get myself to do it, that would be the thing for me."

     "But you never will, you see," said Biddy.

     It did not appear quite so unlikely to me that evening, as it would have done if we had discussed it a few hours before. I therefore observed I was not quite sure of that. But Biddy said she was, and she said it decisively. In my heart I believed her to be right; and yet I took it rather ill, too, that she should be so positive on the point.

     When we came near the churchyard, we had to cross an embankment, and get over a stile near a sluice-gate. There started up, from the gate, or from the rushes, or from the ooze (which was quite in his stagnant way), Old Orlick.

     "Halloa!" he growled, "where are you two going?"

     "Where should we be going, but home?"

     "Well, then," said he, "I'm jiggered if I don't see you home!"