“I’ll say them, instead of it, if you like,” was the coolly growled reply. “It’s safer talk too.”

“What do you mean that I should understand by them?”

“Spites, affronts, offences giv’ and took, deadly aggrawations, suchlike,” answered Riderhood.

Do what Bradley Headstone would, he could not keep that former flush of impatience out of his face, or so master his eyes as to prevent their again looking anxiously up the river.

“Ha ha! Don’t be afeerd, t’otherest,” said Riderhood. “The t’other’s got to make way agin the stream, and he takes it easy. You can soon come up with him. But wot’s the good of saying that to you! you know how fur you could have outwalked him betwixt anywheres about where he lost the tide⁠—say Richmond⁠—and this, if you had a mind to it.”

“You think I have been following him?” said Bradley.