'
'Well, sir,' was the equally diffident reply, 'I've been wondering too.'
'It won't be easy to manage the Pig and Whistle all alone.'
'I'm afraid not, sir.'
'Besides, you couldn't live here in absolute solitude. It wouldn't be
safe.'
'I shouldn't quite like it, sir.'
'But I'm sure you wouldn't like to leave the Pig and Whistle, Miss
Fouracres?'
'I'd much rather stay, sir, if I could any way manage it.'
Mr. Ruddiman drew a step nearer.
'Do you know, Miss Fouracres, I've been thinking just the same. The fact
is, I don't like the thought of leaving the Pig and Whistle; I don't like
it at all. This life suits me. Could you'--he gave a little laugh--'engage
me as your assistant, Miss Fouracres?'
'Oh, sir!'
'You couldn't?'
'How can you think of such a thing, sir.'
'Well, then, there's only one way out of the difficulty that I can see. Do
you think--'
Had it not been dark Mr. Ruddiman would hardly have ventured to make the
suggestion which fell from him in a whisper. Had it not been dark Miss
Fouracres would assuredly have hesitated much longer before giving her
definite reply. As it was, five minutes of conversation solved what had
seemed a harder problem than any the under-master set to his class at
Longmeadows, and when these two turned to enter the Pig and Whistle, they
went hand in hand.
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