He was good-natured and loved to play for the village children: so that Mr.Warrington's negro was a universal favourite in all the Castlewood domain.
Now it was not difficult for the servants'-hall folks to perceive that Mr.Gumbo was a liar, which fact was undoubted in spite of all his good qualities.

For instance, that day at church, when he pretended to read out of Molly's psalm-book, he sang quite other words than those which were down in the book, of which he could not decipher a syllable.

And he pretended to understand music, whereupon the Swiss valet brought him some, and Master Gumbo turned the page upside down.

These instances of long-bow practice daily occurred, and were patent to all the Castlewood household.

They knew Gumbo was a liar, perhaps not thinking the worse of him for this weakness; but they did not know how great a liar he was, and believed him much more than they had any reason for doing, and because, I suppose, they liked to believe him.
Whatever might be his feelings of wonder and envy on first viewing the splendour and comforts of Castlewood, Mr.Gumbo kept his sentiments to himself, and examined the place, park, appointments, stables, very coolly.