Call him in, one of you." John Massingbird went out and brought back the boy.
"Mind you have your wits sharp about you this time, Mr.Duff," he remarked.

Which piece of advice had the effect of scaring Mr.Duff's wits more completely away than they had been scared before.
"You tell us that you saw a man pass up the lane when you were in the field after the cat," began Mr.Verner.

"Was the man walking fast ?" "Please, sir, yes.

Afore I could get out o' the gate he was near out o' sight.

He went a'most as fast as the cat did." "How long was it, after you saw him, before you met young Broom, and heard that somebody was in the pond ?" "Please, sir, 'twas a'most directly.