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Maybe you might make room for the trout。〃 Room for him as well； they
assured him； they were in luck to find him； they explained。 〃Well； I
guess I'll trust my neck with you；〃 he said to Bertie； the skillful
driver； 〃'tain't five minutes' risk。〃 The buggy leaned； and its springs
bent as he climbed in； wedging his mature bulk between their slim
shapes。 The gelding looked round the shaft at them。 〃Protestin'； are
you？〃 he said to it。 〃These light…weight stoodents spile you！〃 So the
gelding went on； expressing； however； by every line of its body； a sense
of outraged justice。 The boys related their difficult search； and
learned that any mention of the name of Diggs would have brought them
straight。 〃Bill Higgs of the Bird…in…Hand was my father； and my
grandf'ther； and his father； and has been me sence I come back from the
war and took the business in '65。 I'm not commonly to be met out this
late。 About fifteen minutes earlier is my time for gettin' back； unless
I'm plannin' for a jamboree。 But to…night I got to settin' and watchin'
that sunset； and listenin' to a darned red…winged blackbird； and I guess
Mrs。 Higgs has decided to expect me somewheres about noon to…morrow or
Friday。 Say； did Johnnie send you？ 〃When he found that John had in a
measure been responsible for their journey； he filled with gayety。 〃Oh；
Johnnie's a bird！〃 said he。 〃He's that demure on first appearance。
Walked in last evening and wanted dinner。 Did he tell you what he ate？
Guess he left out what he drank。 Yes； he's demure。〃
You might suppose that upon their landlord's safe and sober return
fifteen minutes late； instead of on the expected noon of Thursday or
Friday； their landlady would show signs of pleasure； but Mrs。 Diggs from
the porch threw an uncordial eye at the three arriving in the buggy。
Here were two more like Johnnie of last night。 She knew them by the
clothes they wore and by the confidential tones of her husband's voice
as he chatted to them。 He had been old enough to know better for twenty
years。 But for twenty years he had taken the same extreme joy in the
company of Johnnies； and they were bad for his health。 Her final proof
that they belonged to this hated breed was when Mr。 Diggs thumped the
trout down on the porch； and after briefly remarking； 〃Half of 'em
boiled； and half broiled with bacon；〃 himself led away the gelding to
the stable instead of intrusting it to his man Silas。
〃You may set in the parlor；〃 said Mrs。 Diggs； and departed stiffly with
the basket of trout。
〃It's false；〃 said Billy； at once。
Bertie did not grasp his thought。
〃Her hair；〃 said Billy。 And certainly it was an unusual…looking
arrangement。
Presently； as they sat near a parlor organ in the presence of earnest
family portraits； Bertie made a new poem for Billy；
〃Said Aristotle unto Plato；
'Have another sweet potato？ '〃
And Billy responded； …
〃Said Plato unto Aristotle；
'Thank you； I prefer the bottle。'〃
〃In here； are you？〃 said their beaming host at the door。 〃Now； I think
you'd find my department of the premises cosier； so to speak。〃 He
nudged Bertie。 〃Do you boys guess it's too early in the season for a
silver…fizz？〃
We must not wholly forget Oscar in Cambridge。 During the afternoon he
had not failed in his punctuality； two more neat witnesses to this lay
on the door…mat beneath the letter…slit of Billy's room； And at the
appointed hour after dinner a third joined them； making five。 John
found these cards when he came home to go to bed； and picked them up and
stuck them ornamentally in Billy's looking…glass； as a greeting when
Billy should return； The eight o'clock visit was the last that Oscar
paid to the locked door； He remained through the evening in his own
room； studious； contented； unventilated； indulging in his thick notes；
and also in the thought of Billy's and Bertie's eleventh…hour
scholarship； 〃Even with another day；〃 he told himself； 〃those young men
could not have got fifty per cent；〃 In those times this was the passing
mark。 To…day I believe you get an A； or a B； or some other letter
denoting your rank。 In due time Oscar turned out his gas and got into
his bed ； and the clocks of Massachusetts struck midnight。
Mrs。 Diggs of the Bird…in…Hand had retired at eleven； furious with rage；
but firm in dignity in spite of a sudden misadventure。 Her hair； being
the subject of a sporting event； had remained steadily fixed in Billy's
mind；steadily fixed throughout an entertainment which began at an
early hour to assume the features of a celebration。 One silver…fizz
before dinner is nothing； but dinner did not come at once； and the boys
were thirsty。 The hair of Mrs。 Diggs had caught Billy's eye again
immediately upon her entrance to inform them that the meal was ready；
and whenever she reentered with a new course from the kitchen； Billy's
eye wandered back to it； although Mr。 Diggs had become full of anecdotes
about the Civil War。 It was partly Grecian： a knot stood out behind to
a considerable distance。 But this was not the whole plan。 From front to
back ran a parting； clear and severe； and curls fell from this to the
temples in a manner called； I believe； by the enlightened； a l'Anne
d'Autriche。 The color was gray； to be sure； but this propriety did not
save the structure from Billy's increasing observation。 As bottles came
to stand on the table in greater numbers； the closer and the more
solemnly did Billy continue to follow the movements of Mrs。 Diggs。 They
would without doubt have noticed him and his foreboding gravity but for
Mr。 Diggs's experiences in the Civil War。
The repast was finishedso far as eating went。 Mrs。 Diggs with
changeless dudgeon was removing and washing the dishes。 At the
revellers' elbows stood the 1820 port in its fine； fat； old； dingy
bottle； going pretty fast。 Mr。 Diggs was nearing the end of Antietam。〃
That morning of the 18th； while McClellan was holdin' us squattin' and
cussin'；〃 he was saying to Bertie； when some sort of shuffling sound in
the corner caught their attention。 We can never know how it happened。
Billy ought to know； but does not； and Mrs。 Diggs allowed no subsequent
reference to the casualty。 But there she stood with her entire hair at
right angles。 The Grecian knot extended above her left ear； and her
nose stuck through one set of Anne d'Autriche。 Beside her Billy stood；
solemn as a stone； yet with a sort of relief glazed upon his face。
Mr。 Diggs sat straight up at the vision of his spouse。 〃Flouncing
Florence！〃 was his exclamation。 〃Gee…whittaker； Mary； if you ain't the
most unmitigated sight！〃 And wind then left him。
Mary's reply arrived in tones like a hornet stinging slowly and often。
〃Mr。 Diggs； I have put up with many things； and am expecting to put up
with many more。 But you'd behave better if you consorted with
gentlemen。〃
The door slammed and she was gone。 Not a word to either of the boys；
not even any notice of them。 It was thorough； and silence consequently
held them for a moment。
〃He didn't mean anything；〃 said Bertie； growing partially responsible。
〃Didn't mean anything；〃 repeated Billy； like a lesson。
〃I'll take him and he'll apologize；〃 Bertie pursued； walking over to
Billy。
〃He'll apologize；〃 went Billy； like a cheerful piece of mechanism。
Responsibility was still quite distant from him。
Mr。 Diggs got his wind back。 〃Better not；〃 he advised in something near
a whisper。 〃Better not go after her。 Her father was a fightin'
preacher； and she'swell； begosh！ she's a chip of the old pulpit。〃 And
he rolled his eye towards the door。 Another door slammed somewhere
above； and they gazed at each other； did Bertie and Mr。 Diggs。 Then Mr。
Diggs； still gazing at Bertie； beckoned to him with a speaking eye and a
crooked finger； and as he beckoned； Bertie approached like a conspirator
and sat down close to him。 〃Begosh！〃 whispered Mr。 Diggs。
〃Unmitigated。〃 And at this he and Bertie laid their heads down on the
table and rolled about in spasms。
Billy from his corner seemed to become aware of them。 With his eye
fixed upon them like a statue； he came across the room； and； sitting
down near them with formal politeness； observed； 〃Was you ever to the
battle of Antietam？〃 This sent them beyond the limit； and they rocked
their heads on the table and wept as if they would expire。
Thus the three remained； during what space of time is not known： the two
upon the table； convalescent with relapses； and Billy like a seated
idol； unrelaxed at his vigil。 The party was seen through the windows by
Silas； coming from the stable to inquire if the gelding should not be
harnessed。 Silas leaned his face to the pane； and envy spoke plainly in
it。 〃O my！ O my！〃 he mentioned aloud to himself。 So we have the whole
household： Mrs。 Diggs reposing scornfully in an upper chamber； all par