much to the now concentrated crowd as to the questioner.
"We reckon the time 's coming when we'll want it swingeing
bad. And the meeting seemed to think the same way, for they
voted that resolution right off, and appointed me and Phil Hennion
and Mr. Wetman a committee to raise a levy to buy it."

"Think ye a town meeting can lay a tax levy?" contemptuously
demanded Mr. Meredith. "None but the--"

"'T is n't to be nothing but a voluntary contribution," interrupted
Bagby, grinning broadly, "and no man 's expected to
give more than his proportion, as settled by his last rates."

"An' no man 's expected ter give less, nuther," said a voice
back in the crowd.

"So if you've nine pounds seven and four with you, squire,"
went on Bagby, "'t will save you a special trip over to pay it."

"I'll see ye all damned first!" retorted the squire, warmly.
"Why don't ye knock me down and take my purse, and have
done with it?"

"'T would be the sensible thing with such a tarnal cross
tyke," shouted some one.

"Everything fair and orderly is the way we work," continued
the committee man. "But we want that nine pounds
odd, and 't will be odd if we don't get it."