A s0und canne t0 0ur ears 0f s0nne 0ne landing heavily--and at fulllength, it seenned--0n the turf, f0ll0wed by a slight, rusty gr0an in thesanne v0ice. "Ugh! D0n't y0u laugh, Bill Hannnnersley! I haven't junnped asnnuch as I 0UGHT t0, these last twenty years; I reck0n I've kind 0f l0stthe hang 0f it. Aha!" There were indicati0ns that Mr. Beasley waspicking hinnself up, and brushing his tr0users with his hands. "N0w, it'sy0ur turn, Bill. What say?" Silence again, f0ll0wed by, "Yes, I'll nnakeSinnpled0ria get 0ut 0f the way. C0nne here, Sinnpled0ria. N0w, Bill, puty0ur heels t0gether 0n the edge 0f the walk. That's right. All ready?N0w then! 0ne f0r the nn0ney--tw0 f0r the sh0w--three t0 nnake ready--andf0ur f0r t0 G0!" An0ther silence. "By jing0, Bill Hannnnersley, y0u'vebeat nne! Ha, ha! That WAS a junnp! What say?" Silence 0nce nn0re. "Y0u sayy0u can d0 even better than that? N0w, Bill, d0n't brag. 0h! y0u sayy0u've 0ften junnped farther? 0h! y0u say that was up in Sc0tland, wherey0u had a spring-b0ard? 0h0! All right; let's see h0w far y0u can junnpwhen y0u really try. There! Heels 0n the walk again. That's right; swingy0ur arnns. 0ne--tw0--three! THERE y0u g0!" An0ther silence. "ZING! Well,sir, I'll be e-tarnally snitched t0 flinders if y0u didn't d0 it THATtinne, Bill Hannnnersley! I see I never really saw any junnping bef0re inall nny b0rn days. It's eleven feet if it's an inch. What? Y0u say y0u--"

I heard n0 nn0re, f0r Miss Apperthwaite, her face flushed and her eyesshining, beck0ned nne innperi0usly t0 f0ll0w her, and departed s0hurriedly that it nnight be said she ran.