Freaks on the Fells | Page 9

pat of delicious
fresh butter. Beside the table, with its fore-legs thereon and its
hind-legs on the floor, stood a large nanny-goat, which was either
looking in vain for something suited to its own particular taste, or
admiring with disinterested complacency the energy with which two
hens and a bantam cock pecked out the crumb of a wheaten loaf. If the
latter were the goat's occupation, it must have been charmed beyond
expression; for the half of the loaf had been devoured by the audacious
trio, and, just at the moment of Mr Sudberry's appearance, the bantam's
body was buried over the shoulders, and nothing of it was visible to the
horrified master of the house save its tail, appearing over the edge of
the loaf.
"She-ee-ew!" roared Mr Sudberry, rushing into the room and whirling
his arms like the sails of a windmill. The cat vanished through the
window like a black vision galvanised and made awfully real. The
poultry, thrown into convulsions of terror, flew screaming round the
room in blind haste, searching for a door or window of escape; while
the goat, true to its nature, ran at the enemy on its hind-legs, and, with
its head down, attempted to punch him on the stomach. By an active
leap to one side, the enemy escaped this charge; but the goat, nothing
daunted, turned to renew the attack; next moment George, Fred, and
Hobbs, rushing into the room, diverted its attention. Intimidated by
overwhelming numbers, the animal darted through the doorway, along
the passage and out at the front door, where it met Peter unexpectedly,
and wreaked its disappointed vengeance on him by planting on his
chest the punch which had been intended for his master. By this means
that timid and hapless youth was laid flat on the green grass.
"Is Jacky safe?" cried Mrs Sudberry, running into the room with terror
on her countenance, and falling down on the sofa in a semi-swoon on
being informed that he was. She was followed by Lucy and Tilly, with
scent-bottles, and by nurse, who exhibited a tendency to go off into
hysterics; but who, in consequence of a look from her master,
postponed that luxury to a more convenient season.

Thus the "expatriated" family assembled to morning prayers, and to
partake of their first Highland breakfast.
Of course that day, being their first, was spent in an excited and
rambling endeavour to master the localities and ascertain the most
interesting points about their new home.
Mrs Sudberry and her daughters examined the interior accommodation
of the White House minutely, and, with the assistance of Mrs Brown,
Hobbs, and the page, disposed their goods and chattels to the best
advantage; while her husband and sons went out to introduce
themselves to the farmer and his family. They lived in a small cottage,
or off-shoot, at the back of the principal dwelling, in close proximity to
which were the byre, stable, and barns.
It would occupy too much space to relate in detail all the things and
sights that called forth the delight and surprise of the excitable Mr
Sudberry. How he found to his amazement that the byre was under the
same roof with the farmer's kitchen, and only separated therefrom by a
wooden partition with a door in it. How he was assailed by the nine
collie dogs the moment he entered the kitchen, with threats of being
torn to pieces, yet was suffered to pass unscathed. How he and his sons
were introduced by Mr McAllister to his mother, a grave, mild old
woman, who puzzled them beyond measure; because, although clad in
homely and unfashionable garments, and dwelling in a hut little better
than the habitation of the cattle, except in point of cleanliness, she
conversed and conducted herself towards them with a degree of
unaffected ease and urbanity that might have graced any lady in the
land. How this old lady astonished them with the amount of general
knowledge that leaked out in the course of a few minutes' talk. How she
introduced the dogs by name, one by one, to Jacky, which delighted
him immensely; and how, soon after that, Jacky attempted to explore
out-of-the-way corners of the farm-yard, and stepped suddenly up to
the knees in a mud-hole, out of which he emerged with a pair of
tight-fitting Wellington boots, which filled him with ecstasy and his
father with disgust.
All this and a great deal more might be dilated on largely; but we are

compelled to dismiss it summarily, without further remark.
In the course of that day Mr Sudberry and his boys learned a great deal
about their new home from McAllister, whom they found intelligent,
shrewd, and well-informed on any topic they chose to broach; even
although he was, as Mr Sudberry