As it was by this time growing late, and was long past their usual hour
of separating, the cronies parted for the night. Solomon Daisy, with a
fresh candle in his lantern, repaired homewards under the escort of long
Phil Parkes and Mr Cobb, who were rather more nervous than himself. Mr
Willet, after seeing them to the door, returned to collect his thoughts
with the assistance of the boiler, and to listen to the storm of wind
and rain, which had not yet abated one jot of its fury.
Chapter 34
Before old John had looked at the boiler quite twenty minutes, he got
his ideas into a focus, and brought them to bear upon Solomon Daisy's
story. The more he thought of it, the more impressed he became with
a sense of his own wisdom, and a desire that Mr Haredale should be
impressed with it likewise. At length, to the end that he might sustain
a principal and important character in the affair; and might have the
start of Solomon and his two friends, through whose means he knew the
adventure, with a variety of exaggerations, would be known to at least
a score of people, and most likely to Mr Haredale himself, by
breakfast-time to-morrow; he determined to repair to the Warren before
going to bed.
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