“Not a inch sooner, governor.”

On both sides, importance seemed attached to this question of relief. Riderhood quite petted his reply; saying a second time, and prolonging a negative roll of his head, “n⁠—n⁠—not a inch sooner, governor.”

“Did I tell you I was going on tonight?” asked Bradley.

“No, governor,” returned Riderhood, in a cheerful, affable, and conversational manner, “you did not tell me so. But most like you meant to it and forgot to it. How, otherways, could a doubt have come into your head about it, governor?”

“As the sun goes down, I intend to go on,” said Bradley.

“So much the more necessairy is a peck,” returned Riderhood. “Come in and have it, t’otherest.”