They had got down into the road, when the little schoolmaster ran up against them almost before he had been seen.
"Oh, here you are, are you ?" he gasped.
"Are they coming ?" said Robbie Anderson, jumping on to the turf hedge to get a wider view.
"That they are." The little man had dropped down on to a stone, and was mopping his forehead.

When he had recovered his breath, he said,-- "I say, Monsieur the Gladiator, why didn't you kill when you were about it?
I say, why didn't you kill ?" and Monsey held his thumbs down, as he looked in Ralph's face.
"Kill whom ?" said Ralph.

He could not help laughing at the schoolmaster's ludicrous figure and gesture.
"Why, that Garth--a bad garth--a kirk-garth--a kirk-warner's garth-a devil's garth--_Joe_ Garth ?" "I can't see them," said Robbie, and he jumped down again into the road.
"Oh, but you will, you will," said Monsey; and stretching his arm out towards Ralph with a frantic gesture, he cried, "You fly, fly, fly, fly!" "Allow me to point out to you," observed Ralph, smiling, "that I do not at all fly, nor shall I know why I should not remain where I am until you tell me." "Then know that your life's not worth a pin's fee if you remain here to be taken.

Oh, that Garth--that devil's garth--that--that--_Joe_ Garth!" There was clearly no epithet that suited better with Monsey's mood than the said monster's proper name.
"Friends," said Ralph, more seriously, "it's clear I can't leave before I see my father buried, and it's just as clear I can't see him buried if I stay.

With your help I may do both--that is, seem to do both." "How?
how?
unfold--I can interpret you no conundrums," said Monsey.
"To go, and yet not to go, that is the question." "Can I help you ?" said Robbie with the simplicity of earnestness.
"Go back, schoolmaster, to the Lion." "I know it--I've been there before--well ?" "Say, if your conscience will let you--I know how tender it is--say you saw me go over Lauvellen in the direction of Fairfield.