“Mas’r Davy,” he replied, “I’ve put the question to myself a mort o’ times, and never found no answer. And theer’s one curious thing⁠—that, though he is so pleasant, I wouldn’t fare to feel comfortable to try and get his mind upon ’t. He never said a wured to me as warn’t as dootiful as dootiful could be, and it ain’t likely as he’d begin to speak any other ways now; but it’s fur from being fleet water in his mind, where them thowts lays. It’s deep, sir, and I can’t see down.”

“You are right,” said I, “and that has sometimes made me anxious.”

“And me too, Mas’r Davy,” he rejoined. “Even more so, I do assure you, than his ventersome ways, though both belongs to the alteration in him. I doen’t know as he’d do violence under any circumstances, but I hope as them two may be kep asunders.”