“Says, ‘Don’t interrupt,’” said Henfrey. “I heerd’n,” said Hall. “And a sniff,” said Henfrey. They remained listening. The conversation was rapid and subdued. “I _can’t_,” said Mr. Bunting, his voice rising; “I tell you, sir, I _will_ not.” “What was that?” asked Henfrey. “Says he wi’ nart,” said Hall. “Warn’t speaking to us, wuz he?” “Disgraceful!” said Mr. Bunting, within. “‘Disgraceful,’” said Mr. Henfrey. “I heard it—distinct.” “Who’s that speaking now?” asked Henfrey. “Mr. Cuss, I s’pose,” said Hall. “Can you hear—anything?” Silence. The sounds within indistinct and perplexing. “Sounds like throwing the table-cloth about,” said Hall. Mrs. Hall appeared behind the bar. Hall made gestures of silence and invitation. This aroused Mrs. Hall’s wifely opposition. “What yer listenin’ there for, Hall?” she asked. “Ain’t you nothin’ better to do—busy day like this?” Hall tried to convey everything by grimaces and dumb show, but Mrs. Hall was obdurate. She raised her voice. So Hall and Henfrey, rather crestfallen, tiptoed back to the bar, gesticulating to explain to her. At first she refused to see anything in what they had heard at all. Then she insisted on Hall keeping silence, while Henfrey told her his story. She was inclined to think the whole business nonsense—perhaps they were just moving the furniture about. “I heerd’n say ‘disgraceful’; _that_ I did,” said Hall. “_I_ heerd that, Mrs. Hall,” said Henfrey. “Like as not—” began Mrs. Hall. “Hsh!” said Mr. Teddy Henfrey. “Didn’t I hear the window?” “What window?” asked Mrs. Hall. “Parlour window,” said Henfrey. Everyone stood listening intently. Mrs. Hall’s eyes, directed straight before her, saw without seeing the brilliant oblong of the inn door, the road white and vivid, and Huxter’s shop-front blistering in the June sun. Abruptly Huxter’s door opened and Huxter appeared, eyes staring with excitement, arms gesticulating. “Yap!” cried Huxter. “Stop thief!” and he ran obliquely across the oblong towards the yard gates, and vanished. Simultaneously came a tumult from the parlour, and a sound of windows being closed. Hall, Henfrey, and the human contents of the tap rushed out at once pell-mell into the street. They saw someone whisk round the corner towards the road, and Mr. Huxter executing a complicated leap in the air that ended on his face and shoulder. Down the street people were standing astonished or running towards them.