For if this clever child should reply in French, the doctor could never go on with it, but must stand there before his congregation in a worse position than when he lost his place, as sometimes happened, in a sermon.

With wild temerity he had given vent to the only French words within his knowledge; and he determined to follow them up with Latin if the worst came to the worst.
But luckily no harm came of this, but, contrariwise, a lasting good.
For the child looked none the wiser, while the doctor's influence was increased.
"Aha!" the good parson cried.

"I was sure that he was no Frenchman.
But we must hear something about him very soon, for what you tell me is impossible.

If he had come from the sea, he must have been wet; it could never be otherwise.

Whereas, his linen clothes are dry, and even quite lately fullered--ironed you might call it." "Please your worship," cried Mrs.Cockscroft, who was growing wild with jealousy, "I did up all his little things, hours and hours ere your hoose was up." "Ah, you had night-work! To be sure! Were his clothes dry or wet when you took them off ?" "Not to say dry, your worship; and yet not to say very wet.