"I never said no such a thing. I only said sort o' promiscuously, you hadn't showed your document." "Well, what was the use o' that? If you'd kept still there wouldn't been no fuss." "Who'd ha' thought you'd ha' gone to take a man without being able to show your authority? Now I call that plaguy green, Basset. But who stood by you when everybody else desarted you, and got you out from under them rough boys, and helped you clean out o' the scrape? Darn it all, Basset, you're the ongratefullest varmint I ever did see, when, in a manner, I saved your life. Really, I did think, instead o' blowing a fellow up in this way, you'd a stood treat." "So I will," said Basset, who began to fancy he had found too much fault, and was unwilling to lose his ally; "so come along into Jenkins', and we'll take it on the spot. But you must give in, Tom, your observation was unfortunate" "Unfortunate for you," returned Tom; "but I guess Holden thought 'twasn't unfortunate for him. Howsomever, you'll let the old fellow slip now, won't you?" "Let him slip!" almost screamed the exasperated Basset, whom Tom's manner of treating the subject was not calculated to mollify. "Let him slip, you say. I'll see him, I'll see him"--but in vain he sought words to express the direful purpose; language broke down under the effort. "Poh, poh," said Tom, "don't take on so, man--forget and forgive--luck's been on his side, that's all." "I tell you what," said Basset, "who do you think struck me the other night?" "Why, what could it be but Lanfear's ghost?" "Don't talk to me about sperits; whose afraid o' them? But tell us one thing, did you see Holden when you looked into the window!" "What makes you ask?" said the cautious Tom, "supposing I did, or supposing I didn't?" "'Cause I know you didn't. Now it's my opinion," said Basset, lowering his voice and looking round suspiciously as if he were afraid of an action for slander should he be overheard, "that Holden himself made the assault." "That ain't possible," said Gladding, confidently. "You and Prime stood by the door and would ha' seen him if he'd come out there, and I know he didn't jump out o' the window, for I should ha' seen him." "But, perhaps he wasn't in the house at all," persisted Basset; "it was plaguy dark, and perhaps he heard us coming and hid himself outside on purpose to play the trick and take an unfair advantage on us." "You'll never make me believe that story," said Gladding, shaking his head. "I'd as soon believe it was me as the old man. Prime and me are of the same opinion, and we should both be witnesses agin you." The two, at this stage of the conversation, reached the door of the grocer's shop, into which we will not follow them, but turn our attention elsewhere.