"Prophet neither here nor there, for all his Bible name, and his sons’ likewise," said Mrs. Trenchard. "That there Nahum, coming here and stuffing his unnat’ral thoughts into the heads of our young fellers whose time be nigh come! There was Billy Runt, and young Pantany, and Tim Coggins, and such—oh! it did rile me, and I hadn’t the heart to go there, so I comed home along. And bless ’ee, he be going to wag his tongue again to-morrow, and axed the boys to bring all their friends to hear un." "Splendid!" cried Eves. "I say, Bob, we’ll go. You can nobble the audience for Aunt Caroline." This suggestion was not immediately accepted by Templeton, but in the privacy of their bedroom it bore fruit. "This is rather serious, you know, Tom," he said. "Broken a collar-stud, old man?" Eves rejoined. "No; I mean this speechifying. It’s not right for the fellow to turn the village boys against military service." "Gas like that won’t do much harm." "But it may. It ought to be stopped. It’s our duty to stop it." "Jolly good idea! Start an opposition meeting and talk him down. Ripping rag!" "I’m afraid I’m not up to that. You see——" "Leave it to me, then. I bet I can rattle my tongue faster than Nahum Noakes. By George! Bobby, what an awful name!" "You don’t understand, Tom. It isn’t talk that’s wanted. The question is, is he sincere? If he is—well, what about free speech?" "A free kick is more to the purpose. But what are you driving at?" "Well, oughtn’t we to find out if he really has a conscientious objection?—test him, you know? Mrs. Trenchard seemed to doubt it, and if he’s a humbug he ought to be exposed." "Just so, Socrates. I’ll kick him, and see how he takes it. You can’t take him to pieces like a clock, and examine his innards." "That’s the difficulty. Your idea won’t do at all. You can’t justify an unprovoked assault." "I jolly well can. But I’m dead beat; pedalling that heavy old machine nearly biffed me. Sleep on it, Bob; perhaps you’ll dream one of your bright ideas." But in the morning Templeton confessed that he had slept as sound as a top, and hadn’t given the matter another thought. Meditation during the day was not more fruitful, and in the evening, when they went down to the meeting-place opposite the church porch, Templeton had come to the conclusion that they had better hear what Noakes had to say, and act as circumstances seemed to require. On the way they met Haylock, the constable, nodded to him, and passed on. After a few seconds, however, Eves ran back, saying: "I’ll catch you in half a tick, Bob." Templeton strolled on, too busy with his thoughts even to wonder what his friend had to say to the policeman, or to notice the broad smile on Eves’s face when he overtook him.