The Great Barnaby Treasure

Chapter 2

"No! Absolutely not! No and a thousand times no!"

Jim rose from his seat and waved his hands around frantically, as Livesey sat smugly grinning to himself.

Trelawney rose too, but in an attempt to soothe Jim. "But Jim, my boy! Listen!"

"I listened to you last time! Look where that got me! I was almost sliced and diced on multiple occasions!" He glanced over to David and adjusted his glasses. "And you are for this? I'm surprised at you, Doctor! I would have though you of all people would be sensible and try to keep the Squire on terra firma!"

"Oh my boy, it is not through lack of trying, I can assure you." He cackled to himself as he took a swig of his drink. "But you know how he can be. Simply incorrigible!"

Jim frowned back at Trelawney. "I've raised my objection. You will have to do this without me. I can't in good conscience leave my Mother yet again to footle about chasing nothing but some silly gold!"

Trelawney almost fainted. "Silly!? Listen here!"

Livesey instantly got between the pair, as the Squire appeared to be rolling the sleeves of his jacket up. "Now now, Jim said no. We respect his choice, do we not?"

"HMPH!"

"Good to see you anyway, my boy. We will bid you farewell and not distract you from your work any longer." Livesey got to his feet, but his companion had not gotten the message and was still glaring at the boy. It was only when the Doctor began to drag him by his collar did he realise that he needed to move. "You will regret your choice! Think of the extra money you could b-"

Livesey instantly scooped up the Squire under one arm, while his other hand pressed firmly against his mouth as he hauled him out of the inn and back to the carriage.

Once inside, he released his grip on the man and he huffed and puffed to try and regain his breath. "Dash it all, Livesey! You didn't need to manhandle me in such a manner!"

Livesey cackled away to himself in his seat. "Do forgive me, my friend. It sounded as if you were about to engage in a good thraw. I couldn't simply stand by and allow it to continue." Of course, that wasn't the whole truth. Trelawney had been yelling rather loudly and he didn't want the entire inn to know of what they had planned. Heaven knows they had enough of that the last time.

"I was not! I was just explaining the importance of the adventure!"

"Either way, you were being a little bit of a pickthank. This is Jim we are talking about. Respect his choice and let us move on. Smollett next, is it?"

"You're only wanting to move on so you win the bet." Trelawney huffed and folded his little arms about his chest and looked anywhere but his grinning carriage companion as they set off.

Livesey just chuckled merrily. "Don't start the crying early, now. We don't have a teacup to catch your tears."

Instead of heading directly to Smollett's abode, the pair returned to Trelawney's where he spent the next few hours mourning the loss of his thousand pounds which he had bet against his friend. After the clock struck 11, Livesey bid him farewell and returned home to mull over the prospect of yet another adventure.

Once he opened the door to his home, he was greeted by the maid, a plump lady known as Mathilda, who was hurrying her way down the stairs with a wool shawl around her shoulders. "Oh Doctor! There you are! I am so terribly sorry, I had retired for the night. Had I knew you were out for the evening I would have stayed in my uniform!" She had naturally assumed that he had been in his study, where he usually whittled away his hours. She had been alarmed by the opening of the door and half expected some scoundrel.