"There's sure to be some poor little scram reason for't staring us in the face all the while." He lowered his voice to a mysterious tone: "Neighbours, have ye noticed any sign of a scornful woman in his head, or suchlike ?" "Not a glimmer of such a body.

He's as clear as water yet." "And Dicky said he should never marry," cried Jimmy, "but live at home always along wi' mother and we!" "Ay, ay, my sonny; every lad has said that in his time." They had now again reached the precincts of Mr.Shiner's, but hearing nobody in that direction, one or two went across to the schoolhouse.

A light was still burning in the bedroom, and though the blind was down, the window had been slightly opened, as if to admit the distant notes of the carollers to the ears of the occupant of the room.
Opposite the window, leaning motionless against a beech tree, was the lost man, his arms folded, his head thrown back, his eyes fixed upon the illuminated lattice.
"Why, Dick, is that thee?
What b'st doing here ?" Dick's body instantly flew into a more rational attitude, and his head was seen to turn east and west in the gloom, as if endeavouring to discern some proper answer to that question; and at last he said in rather feeble accents--"Nothing, father." "Th'st take long enough time about it then, upon my body," said the tranter, as they all turned anew towards the vicarage.
"I thought you hadn't done having snap in the gallery," said Dick.
"Why, we've been traypsing and rambling about, looking everywhere, and thinking you'd done fifty deathly things, and here have you been at nothing at all!" "The stupidness lies in that point of it being nothing at all," murmured Mr.Spinks.
The vicarage front was their next field of operation, and Mr.Maybold, the lately-arrived incumbent, duly received his share of the night's harmonies.

It was hoped that by reason of his profession he would have been led to open the window, and an extra carol in quick time was added to draw him forth.

But Mr.Maybold made no stir.
"A bad sign!" said old William, shaking his head.
However, at that same instant a musical voice was heard exclaiming from inner depths of bedclothes--"Thanks, villagers!" "What did he say ?" asked Bowman, who was rather dull of hearing.