"Read the minutes of the last meeting," he said. The postmaster rose rather nervously and shuffled his papers. "Keep it short as you can, Spry. We wasted a lot of time over that meeting--don't want to be here all night," remarked Jacob Taverner. "I can't be 'urried, Jacob," answered the other. "I'm secretary, and I've done the work in a very secretarial way, and it's got to be read--all of it--hasn't it, Mr. Churchward?" "Certainly it has," answered the schoolmaster. "In these cases the minutes of previous assemblies have to be kept carefully, including all memoranda and data. There is a right way and a wrong way, and----" "Get on!" interrupted Weekes. "If Spry have to read out all that mess and row we had at the first meeting--sooner he's about it the better." Nathaniel Spry rose and wiped his glasses. "Go under the lamp, postmaster," said Brendon. "You'll see better." "Thank you," answered the secretary. "Much obliged to you. I will do so." "One thing," suddenly remarked Noah Pearn. "I want to ax whether among the characters in the show we might have Judge Jeffreys. I seed his name in an old book awhile ago, and 'tis clear he held his court to Lydford castle. Shall he walk with the procession?" "We can go into that later. We _must_ read the minutes first. Otherwise everything is _ultra vires_ and illegal," declared Mr. Churchward. "Well, Spry can set it at rest in a minute by saying who Judge Jeffreys was--that is if he knows," suggested Mr. Taverner. "We all know that," declared Mr. Norseman. "He was a regular historical Lydford character." "Would he do to walk, Spry, or wouldn't he? Answer in a word. If he's no good--we need say no more." "Order!" cried Mr. Churchward. "I call everybody to order who interferes with Spry. We must have the minutes!" "You ought to know about Judge Jeffreys yourself," said Weekes shortly. "You're a schoolmaster, and should have the whole history of the man at your finger-ends." "And so I have," declared Mr. Churchward. "Of course I have. Who doubts it?" "Then let's hear it. Ban't for the chairman to deny information to the committee," said Mr. Pearn. Adam shrugged his shoulders. "I bow to your opinions, though it's very unbusinesslike and improper." Then he turned to Spry and spoke with resignation. "Tell them about Judge Jeffreys, Nathaniel--since they insist upon knowing. If you make any mistake, I'll correct you." Mr. Spry dropped his report hopelessly, took off his glasses and scratched his head over the right ear. "He wasn't a very nice man, if my memory serves me, gentlemen. A thought 'asty and a thought 'arsh. There's poetry written about him. He did his work in the time of Charles I., or it might be Charles II." "Or the Commonwealth," interrupted Mr. Churchward.