MD3PAD 16-18

[Toby G Levy]

        Mason interrupts Dixon's joke when he fears they are attracting
attention in the pub. Mason and Dixon size each other up. Dixon is a
couple of inches taller than Mason, but stoops a little, which Mason
assumes comes from spending too much time in bars. Pynchon mentions for
the first time Dixon's Quaker background.

        Dixon admits to being more of a surveyor than an astronomer.
Mason makes comments about surveying including bringing up the "ha-ha"
which is a ditch that serves as a fence without impeding the view of the
surrounding countryside.

        Mason is impressed with Dixon's intelligence and Dixon is happy
that Mason did not turn out to be a city slicker.

        Dixon is a "spirits" drinker while Mason sticks exclusively to
wine.

        It begins to grow dark outside. In the pub a spotlight shines on
"a somewhat dishevel'd Norfolk Terrier with a raffish gleam in its
eye..."  and invisible instruments play while the animal sings "The
Learned English Dog am I"

vw#3: Geomancy - divination by the use of lines and figures or geographic
features.

The Learned English Dog asserts that he is an expert on "Chinamen's
Geomancy" and many other topics.

        One may only assume that the insertion of a singing dog into the
narrative is one of the ways in which Wicks hold's the children's
attention.