" At this moment the now
considerable audience, which had hitherto been silent, broke into a
shrill "'Ear, 'ear!" and Mr. Lavender, taking his hand from the acacia
branch to silence them, fell off the wall into the garden. Seeing her
master thus vanish, Blink, who had never ceased to whine and sniff his
toes, leaped over and landed on his chest. Rising with difficulty, Mr.
Lavender found himself in front of an elderly man with a commercial cast
of countenance, who said: "You're trespassing!"
"I am aware of it," returned Mr. Lavender and I beg your pardon. It was
quite inadvertent, however.
"Rubbish!" said the man.
"I fell off the wall."
"Whose wall do you think it is?" said the man.
"How should I know?" said Mr. Lavender; "I am a stranger."
"Out you go," said the man, applying his boot to Blink.
Mr. Lavender's eyes blazed. "You may insult me," he said, "but you must
not kick my dog, or I shall do you an injury."
"Try!" said the man.
"I will," responded Mr. Lavender, taking off his holland coat.
To what extremities he would have proceeded cannot be told, for at this
moment the old lady who had taken him for a shepherd appeared on the
path, tapping her forehead with finger.
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