Free Adventures of Martin Hewitt by Arthur Morrison Page B

each other everythink they can think of; you can ‘ear ‘em
‘alf over the parish. Why, each of ‘em’s ‘ad a board painted, ‘Trespassers
will be Prosecuted,’ and stuck ‘em up facin’ each other, so as to keep up the
row.”
    “Very funny, no doubt.”
    “Funny? I believe you, sir. Why it’s quite a treat sometimes on a dull
beat like this. Why, what’s that? slowed if I don’t think they’re beginning
again now. Yes, they are. Well, my beat’s the other way.”
    There was a sound of angry voices in the direction of the nursery ground,
and Hewitt made toward it. Just where the hedge peeped over the wall the
altercation was plain to hear.
    “You’re an old vagabond, and I’ll indict you for a nuisance!”
    “You’re an old thief, and you’d like to turn me out of house and home,
wouldn’t you? Indict away, you greedy old scoundrel!”
    These and similar endearments, punctuated by growls and snorts, came
distinctly from over the wall, accompanied by a certain scraping, brushing
sound, as though each neighbour were madly attempting to scale the hedge and
personally bang the other.
    Hewitt hastened round to the front of the nursery garden and quietly tried
first the wide gate and next the small one. Both were fastened securely. But
in the manner of the milkman at the gate of the house above, Hewitt slipped
his hand between the open slats of the small gate and slid the night-latch
that held it. Within the quarrel ran high as Hewitt stepped quietly into the
garden. He trod on the narrow grass borders of the beds for quietness’ sake,
till presently only a line of shrubs divided him from the clamorous
nurseryman. Stooping and looking through an opening which gave him a back
view, Hewitt observed that the brushing and scraping noise proceeded, not
from angry scramblings, but from the forcing through an inadequate opening in
the hedge of some piece of machinery which the nurseryman was most amicably
passing to his neighbour at the same time as he assailed him with savage
abuse, and received a full return in kind. It appeared to consist of a number
of coils of metal pipe, not unlike those sometimes used in heating apparatus,
and was as yet only a very little way through. Something else, of bright
copper, lay on the garden-bed at the foot of the hedge, but intervening
plants concealed its shape.

     

     
    Hewitt turned quickly away and made towards the greenhouses, keeping tall
shrubs as much as possible between himself and the cottage, and looking
sharply about him. Here and there about the garden were stand-pipes, each
carrying a tap at its upper end and placed conveniently for irrigation. These
in particular Hewitt scrutinised, and presently, as he neared a large wooden
outhouse close by the large gate, turned his attention to one backed by a
thick shrub. When the thick undergrowth of the shrub was pushed aside a small
stone slab, black and dirty, was disclosed, and this Hewitt lifted,
uncovering a square hole six or eight inches across, from the fore-side of
which the stand-pipe rose.

     

     
    The row went cheerily on over by the hedge, and neither Trennatt nor his
neighbour saw Hewitt, feeling with his hand, discover two stop-cocks and a
branch pipe in the hole, nor saw him try them both. Hewitt, however, was
satisfied, and saw his case plain. He rose and made his way back toward the
small gate. He was scarce half-way there when the straining of the hedge
ceased, and before he reached it the last insult had been hurled, the quarrel
ceased, and Trennatt approached. Hewitt immediately turned his back to the
gate, and looking about him inquiringly hemmed aloud as though to attract
attention. The nurseryman promptly burst round a corner crying, “Who’s that?
who’s that, eh? What d’ye want, eh?”
    “Why,” answered Hewitt in a tone of mild surprise, “is it so uncommon to
have a customer drop in?”
    “I’d ha’ sworn that gate was fastened,”