pause, said, with a preface, almost the same things, in the same words, and in the same manner save for the watch-dog smile and the "sayin' is"—and with the same pipe play, as had Brennan.
"Look here, Billy, as the sayin' is, I don't want to interfere with the village, as the sayin' is—nor anybody's private affairs, as the sayin' is but I know more about the world 'n you do, Billy, as the sayin' is, though you have knocked about London, as the sayin' is, an' been abroad, as the sayin' is as the sayin' is. But I'd advise you to get rid of that there Bob, as the sayin' is. No—! now I've got nothing against him, as the sayin' is, but there's talk, as the sayin' is, and I don't like smash-ups in the village, as the sayin' is. It it will interfere with the rents, as the sayin' is, and leads to intruptions with farm work at an awkward time, as the sayin' is. And I can't build and keep up village for nothing, as the sayin' is. Besides, you're a good tenant, and so is the Higgins, as the sayin' is. Take my advice, as the sayin' is, an' let Bob go and get married, an' settle down like the rest of 'em, as the sayin' is. There'll be boys wanted for the farm yet, as the sayin' is, and girls too. A—a kick's as good as a wink to a blind horse, as the sayin' is."
Even then poor little Billy felt a "catch" of triumph for his friend in the knowledge that Bob had been married, and drew a breath of relief before he knew it, "as the sayin' is."
Then, when little Billy pulled himself together, he set to work at once to get to the root of the matter;
