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"Well?" I inquired

"Well," he continued slowly, "I lifted th' latch, an' give a push

to the door, but it would only open a little way--an inch,

p'r'aps, an' stuck" Here he tapped, and opened his snuff-box

"Well?" I inquired again

"Well," he went on, "I give it a gert, big push wi'chap in those days), an', just as it flew

open, co I seen

was--a boot"

"A boot!" I exclaimed

"A boot as ever was," nodded the Ancient, and took a pinch of

snuff with great apparent gusto

"Go on," said I, "go on"

"Oh!--it's a fine story, a fine story!" he chuckled "Theer bean't

man in a thunderstor, an' theer were this

'ere wanderin' lin' be'ind th' door fro with so into the hut, "theer be th' very stapil, so it be!"

and he pointed up to a rusty iron staple that had been driven

deep into the bea himself?"

"Seein' e' 'ad no friends, and never told nobody--nobody never