'P'raps you might be writin' to her ?' 'I shall certainly write to her,' I rejoined.
'Ah!' he said, slowly turning his eyes towards me.

'Well! If you was writin' to her, p'raps you'd recollect to say that Barkis was willin'; would you ?' 'That Barkis is willing,' I repeated, innocently.

'Is that all the message ?' 'Ye-es,' he said, considering.

'Ye-es.

Barkis is willin'.' 'But you will be at Blunderstone again tomorrow, Mr.Barkis,' I said, faltering a little at the idea of my being far away from it then, and could give your own message so much better.' As he repudiated this suggestion, however, with a jerk of his head, and once more confirmed his previous request by saying, with profound gravity, 'Barkis is willin'.