Merry-making

"Merry-making, sir!" cries Partridge; "who could be merry-making at this time of night, and in such a place, and such weather? They can be nothing but ghosts or witches, or some evil spirits or other, that's certain."

It is true, that two clowns, who drove before them a herd of cattle—one or two village wenches, who seemed bound for some merry-making—a strolling soldier, and a wandering student, as his thread-bare black cloak and his satchel of books proclaimed him—passed our travellers without observation, or with a look of contempt; […]