Nextthejudgemadeaverylongspeechtothejury;andwhenitwasoverallthetwelvejurymengotupandwentoutintothenextroom. AndatthatpointtheDoctorcameback,leadingBob,totheseatbesideme. "Whathavethejurymengoneoutfor?"Iasked. "Theyalwaysdothatattheendofatrial—tomakeuptheirmindswhethertheprisonerdiditornot." "Couldn'tyouandBobgoinwiththemandhelpthemmakeuptheirmindstherightway?"Iasked. "No,that'snotallowed.Theyhavetotalkitoverinsecret.Sometimesittakes—MyGracious,look,they'recomingbackalready!Theydidn'tspendlongoverit." Everybodykeptquitestillwhilethetwelvemencametrampingbackintotheirplacesinthepews. Thenoneofthem,theleader—alittleman—stoodupandturnedtothejudge. Everyonewasholdinghisbreath,especiallytheDoctorandmyself,toseewhathewasgoingtosay. Youcouldhaveheardapindropwhilethewholecourt-room,thewholeofPuddlebyinfact,waitedwithcraningnecksandstrainingearstoheartheweightywords. "YourHonor,"saidthelittleman,"thejuryreturnsaverdictofNOTGUILTY." "What'sthatmean?"Iasked,turningtotheDoctor. ButIfoundDoctorJohnDolittle,thefamousnaturalist,standingontopofachair,dancingaboutononeleglikeaschoolboy. "Itmeanshe'sfree!"hecried,"Lukeisfree!" "Thenhe'llbeabletocomeonthevoyagewithus,won'the?" ButIcouldnothearhisanswer;forthewholecourt-roomseemedtobejumpinguponchairsliketheDoctor.Thecrowdhadsuddenlygonecrazy. AllthepeoplewerelaughingandcallingandwavingtoLuketoshowhimhowgladtheywerethathewasfree.Thenoisewasdeafening. Thenitstopped.Allwasquietagain;andthepeoplestooduprespectfullywhilethejudgelefttheCourt. ForthetrialofLuketheHermit,thatfamoustrialwhichtothisdaytheyarestilltalkingofinPuddleby,wasover. Inthehushwhilethejudgewasleaving,asuddenshriekrangout,andthere,inthedoorwaystoodawoman,herarmsout-stretchedtotheHermit. "Luke!"shecried,"I'vefoundyouatlast!" "It'shiswife,"thefatwomaninfrontofmewhispered."Sheain'tseen'iminfifteenyears,poordear!Whatalovelyre-union.I'mgladIcame.Iwouldn'thavemissedthisforanything!" Assoonasthejudgehadgonethenoisebrokeoutagain;andnowthefolksgatheredroundLukeandhiswifeandshookthembythehandandcongratulatedthemandlaughedoverthemandcriedoverthem. "Comealong,Stubbins,"saidtheDoctor,takingmebythearm,"let'sgetoutofthiswhilewecan." "Butaren'tyougoingtospeaktoLuke?"Isaid—"toaskhimifhe'llcomeonthevoyage?" "Itwouldn'tbeabitofuse,"saidtheDoctor."Hiswife'scomeforhim. Nomanstandsanychanceofgoingonavoyagewhenhiswifehasn'tseenhiminfifteenyears.Comealong.Let'sgethometotea.Wedidn'thaveanylunch,remember.Andwe'veearnedsomethingtoeat. We'llhaveoneofthosemixedmeals,lunchandteacombined—withwatercressandham.Nicechange.Comealong." JustasweweregoingtostepoutatasidedoorIheardthecrowdshouting, "TheDoctor!TheDoctor!Where'stheDoctor?TheHermitwouldhavehangedifithadn'tbeenfortheDoctor.Speech!Speech!—TheDoctor!" Andamancamerunninguptousandsaid, "Thepeoplearecallingforyou,Sir." "I'mverysorry,"saidtheDoctor,"butI'minahurry." "Thecrowdwon'tbedenied,Sir,"saidtheman."Theywantyoutomakeaspeechinthemarketplace." "Begthemtoexcuseme,"saidtheDoctor—"withmycompliments. Ihaveanappointmentatmyhouse—averyimportantonewhichImaynotbreak.TellLuketomakeaspeech.Comealong,Stubbins,thisway." "OhLord!"hemutteredaswegotoutintotheopenairandfoundanothercrowdwaitingforhimatthesidedoor."Let'sgoupthatalleyway—totheleft.Quick!—Run!" Wetooktoourheels,dartedthroughacoupleofsidestreetsandjustmanagedtogetawayfromthecrowd. ItwasnottillwehadgainedtheOxenthorpeRoadthatwedaredtoslowdowntoawalkandtakeourbreath. AndevenwhenwereachedtheDoctor'sgateandturnedtolookbackwardstowardsthetown,thefaintmurmurofmanyvoicesstillreachedusontheeveningwind. "They'restillclamoringforyou,"Isaid."Listen!" Themurmursuddenlyswelledupintoalowdistantroar;andalthoughitwasamileandhalfawayyoucoulddistinctlyhearthewords, "ThreecheersforLuketheHermit:Hooray!—Threecheersforhisdog:Hooray!—Threecheersforhiswife:Hooray!—ThreecheersfortheDoctor:Hooray!Hooray!HOO-R-A-Y!" 
