"Allow me," interrupted Eves, who had taken his cue. "Having only just returned to the village, you don’t know my friend, Mr. Templeton, who has gone very deeply into loads of things, I assure you. Mr.—I think you said Nahum Noakes—you are really a splendid specimen for the phrenologist, and a little examination of your bumps——" Nahum started back as Eves approached. "It is quite painless, I assure you," said Eves, soothingly. "Mr. Templeton will only pass his hand gently over your head, and from the configuration of the cranium he will read your character like an open book." "I don’t think I need even touch your head," said Templeton. "If you will kindly just raise your hat— "Give it a trial, Nahum," said Runt. At first puzzled, like the rest of the villagers, he had now risen to the situation, and was ready to lend his aid in its development. "See if the young gen’l’man be right," added Coggins. "We all know ’ee, from a baby up’ard." Half suspicious, angry at the interruption of his discourse, and still more at the sniggers of some of the younger members of the group, Nahum seemed to think that to acquiesce was the shortest cut out of his quandary. He took off his hat. Templeton stood in front of him, inspecting his head with the gravity of a judge at a cattle show. Nahum looked simply foolish. Templeton moved slowly round, and leant on the wall to get a back view of Nahum’s head. "Yes, it seems genuine," he said at last. "I don’t find the bump of pugnacity." "Which means that he doesn’t mind what you do to him?" said Eves. "Just so. He’s not a fighter." Nahum’s face cleared; his father shed a gratified smile around the group. "Supposing some one pulled his nose?" Eves went on. "He couldn’t possibly resent it," replied Templeton. "It would be quite safe." A loud guffaw from Runt brought a flush to Nahum’s cheeks, and a scowl to his brow. "I’d like to see any one try it," he muttered. Instantly Eves shot out his hand, seized the somewhat prominent member in question, and pulled. Nahum sprang from the wall and hit out. Eves nimbly evaded the blow, and for half a minute dodged up and down like the matador at a bull-fight, pursued by the infuriate youth, who became only the more enraged as his clenched fists beat upon empty air. Shouts of laughter broke from the crowd. "Mind yer principles," cried the smith. "Gie un a larruping!" bellowed Mr. Noakes. Templeton looked worried. At this moment the constable elbowed his way into the arena. "Good now, gen’l’men," he said; "this be what the law do call a breach of the peace, and I’m not so sure but ’tis time to take ’ee both into custody for obstructing the police in the execution of his duty." He took Nahum’s arm. "Come, come, sonny. I be surprised, and you such a man of peace as never was." "Ay, and he axed the gen’l’man to pull his nose, he did so," said the smith.