The inventors picked themselves up, rubbed their elbows, and approached the discomfited villagers, who, coughing and spluttering, were now descending into the road. Templeton looked serious; Eves wore a broad grin. "Really, I’m extremely sorry," began the former. "Sorry be jowned!" shouted the baker. "Sorry won’t clean my hands, and my dough a-spoiling." "’Tis rank pison!" cried the butcher. "Assault and battery and attempted murder," shrieked Noakes, furiously. "Wi’ my own firelighters!" "Let us discuss it calmly," said Templeton. "No one can regret more than I the—the inconvenience to which you have been put, quite without intention, I assure you——" "But the fact is," Eves interposed, pointing to the manual, "you were on the wrong side of the road. Constable, I appeal to you." The constable, who had left his fire helmet in the hedge, scratched his head, the villagers looking at him expectantly. "Well, neighbours all," he said, slowly, "the law’s what it is, and I’m not the man, being sworn in my office of constable—’t ud be high treason or worse to gainsay it. And I don’t care who the man is, that there manual be on the right when the law says it oughter be on the left, and no true man can deny it." "That’s for horses and carts, for horses and carts," fumed Noakes. "As a man I respect you, neighbour Noakes," said the constable, solemnly, "but as a officer of the law I say you don’t know nothing about it. The manual’s a vehicle; well, then, the law’s no respecter of persons, and what be law for a horse and cart be law for a manual; ay sure, for a baby’s pram, if so be a pram was in custody." "That’s all very well," said the baker, "but what’s the law say about foul smoke? Tell us that, constable." "Foul smoke be from factory chimneys; t’other smoke bain’t foul." "Of course not," said Eves. "You’ve got the law at your finger-ends, constable. The penalty for being on the wrong side is a heavy fine, isn’t it?" "That depends on whether ’tis Squire Banks or Sir Timothy on the bench, sir." "Well, my friend won’t prosecute, I’m sure. And when I tell you he was trying a new invention for beating the Germans, you’ll be sorry you’ve ruined it through being on the wrong side of the road." "Wish we’d knowed that afore, sir," said the smith. "The truth on’t is, we thought ’twas Farmer Trenchard’s ricks afire." "And like true Britons you rushed to help your neighbour. Splendid! I’ll tell Mr. Trenchard how promptly the brigade turned out; he’s very lucky in having such good friends." "Speaking for us all, sir——" began the smith. "Not for me," Noakes interrupted, savagely. "Hear what the man hev got to say, neighbour Noakes," said the baker. "Mebbe I won’t agree with him myself, but I’m not the man to say so afore he’s hawked it out."