However，whenthemulledwinewascome，andagooddealofitgonetheseasonbeingEpiphany，UncleReubenbegantothinkthathemighthavebeentoohardwithus。Moreover，hewasbeginningnowtorespectFarmerNicholasbravely，becauseofthewayhehadsmokedhispipes，andthelittlenoisemadeoverthem。AndLizzieandAnnieweredoingtheirbest——fornowwehadletthegirlsout——towakemorelightsomeuproar；alsoyoungFaithSnowewastowardtokeeptheoldmen’scupsaflow，andhanselthemtotheirliking。
Soatthecloseofourentertainment，whenthegirlsweregoneawaytofetchandlighttheirlanthornsoverwhichtheymaderarenoise，blowingeachtheother’soutforcountingofthesparkstocome，MasterHuckabackstoodup，withoutmuchaidfromthecrock-
saw，andlookedatmotherandallofus。
’Letnooneleavethisplace，’saidhe，’untilIhavesaidwhatIwanttosay；forsavingofill-willamongus；andgrowthofcheerandcomfort。MaybeIhavecarriedthingstoofar，eventotheboundsofchurlishness，andbeyondtheboundsofgoodmanners。I
willnotunsayonewordIhavesaid，havingneveryetdonesoinmylife；butIwouldalterthemannerofit，andsetitforthinthislight。IfyoufolksuponExmoorhereareloathandwaryatfighting，yetyouarebraveatbetterstuff；thebestandkindestIeverknew，inthematteroffeeding。’
Herehesatdownwithtearsinhiseyes，andcalledforalittlemulledbastard。Allthemaids，whowerenowcomeback，racedtogetitforhim，butAnnieofcoursewasforemost。Andhereinendedtheexpedition，aperilousandagreatone，againsttheDoonesofBagworthy；anenterpriseoverwhichwehadalltalkedplainlymorethanwasgoodforus。Formypart，I
sleptwellthatnight，feelingmyselfathomeagain，nowthatthefightingwasputaside，andthefearofitturnedtothecomfortoftalkingwhatwewouldhavedone。
OnthefollowingdayMasterHuckaback，withsomeshowofmystery，demandedfrommymotheranescortintoadangerouspartoftheworld，towhichhisbusinesscompelledhim。MymothermadeanswertothisthathewaskindlywelcometotakeourJohnFrywithhim；atwhichthegoodclothierlaughed，andsaidthatJohnwasnothinglikebigenough，butanotherJohnmustservehisturn，notonlyforhissize，butbecauseifhewerecarriedaway，nostonewouldbeleftunturneduponExmoor，untilheshouldbebroughtbackagain。
Hereuponmymothergrewverypale，andfoundfiftyreasonsagainstmygoing，eachofthemweightierthanthetrueone，asElizawhowasjealousofmemanagedtowhispertoAnnie。Ontheotherhand，IwasquiteresolveddirectlythethingwasmentionedtoseeUncleReubenthroughwithit；anditaddedmuchtomyself-esteemtobetheguardofsorichaman。
ThereforeIsoonpersuadedmother，withherheaduponmybreast，toletmegoandtrustinGod；andafterthatIwasgreatlyvexedtofindthatthisdangerousenterprisewasnothingmorethanavisittotheBarondeWhichehalse，tolayaninformation，andsueawarrantagainsttheDoones，andapossetoexecuteit。
StupidasIalwayshavebeen，andmusteverbenodoubt，IcouldwellhavetoldUncleReubenthathisjourneywasnowiserthanthatofthemenofGotham；
thatheneverwouldgetfromHughdeWhichehalseawarrantagainsttheDoones；moreover，thatifhedidgetone，hisownwigwouldbesingedwithit。ButfordiversreasonsIheldmypeace，partlyfromyouthandmodesty，partlyfromdesiretoseewhateverpleaseGodIshouldsee，andpartlyfromothercauses。
WerodebywayofBrendontown，IllfordBridge，andBabbrook，toavoidthegreathillaboveLynmouth；andthedaybeingfineandclearagain，IlaughedinmysleeveatUncleReubenforallhisfineprecautions。
WhenwearrivedatLeyManor，wewereshownverycivillyintothehall，andrefreshedwithgoodaleandcollaredhead，andthebackofaChristmaspudding。I
hadneverbeenundersofinearoofunlessitwereofachurchbefore；anditpleasedmegreatlytobesokindlyentreatedbyhigh-bornfolk。ButUncleReubenwasvexedalittleatbeingsetdownsidebysidewithamaninaverysmallwayoftrade，whowascomeuponsomebusinessthere，andwhomadeboldtodrinkhishealthafterfinishingtheirhornsofale。
’Sir，’saidUncleBen，lookingathim，’myhealthwouldfaremuchbetter，ifyouwouldpaymethreepoundsandtwelveshillings，whichyouhaveowedmethesefiveyearsback；andnowwearemetattheJustice’s，theopportunityisgood，sir。’
Afterthat，wewerecalledtotheJustice-room，wheretheBaronhimselfwassittingwithColonelHarding，anotherJusticiaryoftheKing’speace，tohelphim。I
hadseentheBarondeWhichehalsebefore，andwasnotatallafraidofhim，havingbeenatschoolwithhissonasheknew，anditmadehimverykindtome。Andindeedhewaskindtoeverybody，andallourpeoplespokewellofhim；andsomuchthemorebecauseweknewthatthehousewasindecadence。ForthefirstDeWhichehalsehadcomefromHolland，wherehehadbeenagreatnobleman，somehundredandfiftyyearsagone。
Beingpersecutedforhisreligion，whentheSpanishpowerwaseverything，hefledtoEnglandwithallhecouldsave，andboughtlargeestatesinDevonshire。
Sincethenhisdescendantshadintermarriedwithancientcountyfamilies，Cottwells，andMarwoods，andWalronds，andWelsesofPylton，andChichestersofHall；andseveraloftheladiesbroughtthemlargeincreaseofproperty。AndsoaboutfiftyyearsbeforethetimeofwhichIamwriting，therewerefewnamesintheWestofEnglandthoughtmoreofthanDeWhichehalse。Butnowtheyhadlostagreatdealofland，andthereforeofthatwhichgoeswithland，assurelyasfamebelongstoearth——Imeanbigreputation。
Howtheyhadlostit，nonecouldtell；exceptthatasthefirstdescendantshadamannerofamassing，sothelateronesweregiftedwithapowerofscattering。
WhetherthiscameofgoodDevonshirebloodopeningthesluiceofLowCountryveins，isbeyondbothmyprovinceandmypowertoinquire。Anyhow，allpeoplelovedthislaststrainofDeWhichehalsefarmorethanthenamehadbeenlikedahundredyearsagone。
HughdeWhichehalse，awhite-hairedman，ofverynoblepresence，withfriendlyblueeyesandasweetsmoothforehead，andaquilinenosequitebeautifulasyoumightexpectinaladyofbirth，andthinlipscurvingdelicately，thisgentlemanroseasweenteredtheroom；
whileColonelHardingturnedonhischair，andstruckonespuragainsttheother。Iamsurethat，withoutknowingaughtofeither，wemusthavereverencedmoreofthetwotheonewhoshowedrespecttous。Andyetninegentlemanoutoftenmakethisdullmistakewhendealingwiththeclassbelowthem!
UncleReubenmadehisverybestscrape，andthenwalkeduptothetable，tryingtolookasifhedidnotknowhimselftobewealthierthanboththegentlemenputtogether。Ofcoursehewasnostrangertothem，anymorethanIwas；and，asitprovedafterwards，ColonelHardingowedhimalumpofmoney，uponverygoodsecurity。OfhimUncleReubentooknonotice，butaddressedhimselftoDeWhichehalse。
TheBaronsmiledverygently，sosoonashelearnedthecauseofthisvisit，andthenherepliedquitereasonably。
’AwarrantagainsttheDoones，MasterHuckaback。WhichoftheDoones，sopleaseyou；andtheChristiannames，whatbethey？’
’Mylord，Iamnottheirgodfather；andmostliketheyneverhadany。ButweallknowoldSirEnsor’sname，sothatmaybenoobstacle。’
’SirEnsorDooneandhissons——sobeit。Howmanysons，MasterHuckaback，andwhatisthenameofeachone？’
’HowcanItellyou，mylord，evenifIhadknownthemallaswellasmyownshop-boys？Neverthelessthereweresevenofthem，andthatshouldbenoobstacle。’
’AwarrantagainstSirEnsorDoone，andsevensonsofSirEnsorDoone，Christiannamesunknown，anddoubtediftheyhaveany。SofarsogoodMasterHuckaback。I
haveitalldowninwriting。SirEnsorhimselfwasthere，ofcourse，asyouhavegiveninevidence——’
’No，no，mylord，Ineversaidthat：Ineversaid——’
’Ifhecanprovethathewasnotthere，youmaybeindictedforperjury。Butasforthosesevensonsofhis，ofcourseyoucanswearthattheywerehissonsandnothisnephews，orgrandchildren，orevennoDoonesatall？’
’Mylord，IcanswearthattheywereDoones。Moreover，IcanpayforanymistakeImake。Thereinneedbenoobstacle。’
’Oh，yes，hecanpay；hecanpaywellenough，’saidColonelHardingshortly。
’Iamheartilygladtohearit，’repliedtheBaronpleasantly；’foritprovesafterallthatthisrobberyifrobberytherehasbeenwasnotsoveryruinous。
Sometimespeoplethinktheyarerobbed，andthenitisverysweetafterwardstofindthattheyhavenotbeenso；foritaddstotheirjoyintheirproperty。Now，areyouquiteconvinced，goodsir，thatthesepeopleiftherewereanystole，ortook，orevenborrowedanythingatallfromyou？’
’Mylord，doyouthinkthatIwasdrunk？’
’Notforamoment，MasterHuckaback。Althoughexcusemightbemadeforyouatthistimeoftheyear。Buthowdidyouknowthatyourvisitorswereofthisparticularfamily？’
’Becauseitcouldbenobodyelse。Because，inspiteofthefog——’
’Fog!’criedColonelHardingsharply。
’Fog!’saidtheBaron，withemphasis。’Ah，thatexplainsthewholeaffair。Tobesure，nowIremember，theweatherhasbeentoothickforamantoseetheheadofhisownhorse。TheDoonesifstilltherebeanyDoonescouldneverhavecomeabroad；thatisassureassimony。MasterHuckaback，foryourgoodsake，Iamheartilygladthatthischargehasmiscarried。I
thoroughlyunderstanditnow。Thefogexplainsthewholeofit。’
’Goback，mygoodfellow，’saidColonelHarding；’andifthedayisclearenough，youwillfindallyourthingswhereyouleftthem。Iknow，frommyownexperience，whatitistobecaughtinanExmoorfog。’
UncleReuben，bythistime，wassoputout，thathehardlyknewwhathewassaying。
’Mylord，SirColonel，isthisyourjustice!IfIgotoLondonmyselfforit，theKingshallknowhowhiscommission——howamanmayberobbed，andthejusticesprovethatheoughttobehangedatbackofit；thatinhisgoodshireofSomerset——’
’Yourpardonamoment，goodsir，’DeWhichehalseinterruptedhim；’butIwasabouthavingheardyourcasetomentionwhatneedbeanobstacle，and，Ifear，wouldproveafatalone，evenifsatisfactoryproofwereaffordedofafelony。Themal-feasanceifany
waslaidinSomerset；butwe，twohumbleservantsofHisMajesty，areincommissionofhispeaceforthecountyofDevononly，andthereforecouldneverdealwithit。’
’Andwhy，inthenameofGod，’criedUncleReubennowcarriedatlastfairlybeyondhimself，’whycouldyounotsayasmuchatfirst，andsavemeallthiswasteoftimeandworryofmytemper？Gentlemen，youareallinleague；allofyousticktogether。Youthinkitfairsportforanhonesttrader，whomakesnoshamsasyoudo，toberobbedandwellnighmurdered，solongastheywhodiditwonthehighbirthrightoffelony。Ifapoorsheepstealer，tosavehischildrenfromdyingofstarvation，haddaredtolookatatwo-monthlamb，hewouldswingontheManorgallows，andallofyoucry“Goodriddance!“Butnow，becausegoodbirthandbadmanners——’HerepoorUncleBen，notbeingsostrongasbeforetheDooneshadplayedwithhim，begantofoamatthemouthalittle，andhistonguewentintothehollowwherehisshortgreywhiskerswere。
Iforgethowwecameoutofit，onlyIwasgreatlyshockedatbeardingofthegentryso，andmotherscarcecouldseeherway，whenItoldherallaboutit。
’Dependuponityouwerewrong，John，’wasallIcouldgetoutofher；thoughwhathadIdonebutlisten，andtouchmyforelock，whencalledupon。’John，youmaytakemywordforit，youhavenotdoneasyoushouldhavedone。YourfatherwouldhavebeenshockedtothinkofgoingtoBarondeWhichehalse，andinhisownhouseinsultinghim!AndyetitwasverybraveofyouJohn。Justlikeyou，allover。Andasnoneofthemenarehere，dearJohnIamproudofyoufordoingit。’
Allthroughoutthehomewardroad，UncleBenhadbeenverysilent，feelingmuchdispleasedwithhimselfandstillmoresowithotherpeople。Butbeforehewenttobedthatnight，hejustsaidtome，’NephewJack，youhavenotbehavedsobadlyastheresttome。Andbecauseyouhavenogiftoftalking，IthinkthatImaytrustyou。Now，markmywords，thisvillainjobshallnothaveendinghere。Ihaveanothercardtoplay。’
’Youmean，sir，Isuppose，thatyouwillgotothejusticesofthisshire，SquireMaunder，orSirRichardBlewitt，or——’