Chapter VII.—“A Duel of Wits”At ten o'clock in the morning, just a week after the events recorded in the last chapter, John Ebenezer Rook, proprietor of the Cow Inn in the pretty little village of Battlebridge, was regarding with great satisfaction the newly-painted sign over the inn door. The sign depicted a very red cow, with long horns, and a very fierce expression. The artist who had painted it had received ten shillings and two pots of beer for his labor and that he had done his work well was the opinion of both the landlord and his decidedly pretty-looking wife who was standing beside him.
“That'll make them all sit up,” nodded Rook decisively, “although I wish he'd make her look as if she was going to give a bit more milk.” He nodded again. “Yes, we're going to make things hum here
