ther."

"Then be off."

The boy went off at a run, and the fisher-farmer led his horse along the
two rutted tracks till he came down into the valley, and then went on
and on, towards where a couple of men were at work in a field, doing
nothing with all their might.

CHAPTER FOUR.

Ramillies--commonly known by his father's men as Ram--Shackle trotted up
over the hill, stopping once to flop down on the grass to gaze at the
cutter, lying a mile out now from the shore, and thinking how different
she was with her trim rigging and white sails to the rough lugger of his
father, and the dirty three-masted vessels that ran to and fro across
the Channel, and upon which he had more than once taken a trip.

He rose with a sigh, and continued his journey down into the hollow, and
along a regular trough among the hills, to the low, white-washed stone
building, roofed with thin pieces of the same material, and gaily dotted
and splashed with lichen and moss.

He was met by a comfortable-looking, ruddy-faced woman, who
shouted,--"What is it, Ram?" when he was fifty yards away.

The boy stated his errand.

"Father says you were to take all that?"

"Yes."

"Then there's a cargo coming ashore to-night, Ram."

"Yes, mother, and the cutter's lying a mile out."

"Oh, dear, dear, dear!" cried the woman; "I hope there won't be no
trouble, boy."

She stood wiping her dry hands upon her apron, and gazed thoughtfully
with wrinkled brow straight before her for a minute, as if conjuring up
old scenes; then, taking down a basket as she moved inside, she began to
pack up the various things in the dairy, while Ram looked on.

"Father didn't say anything about a bottle of cream, mother," said the
boy, grinning.

"Then hear, see, and say nothing, my lad," cried his mother.

"And I don't think he said you was to send that piece of pickled pork,
mother."

"He said chickens, didn't he?"

"Said a chickun."

"Chicken means chickens," cried Mrs Shackle, "and you can't eat chicken
without pork or bacon. 'Tisn't natural."

"Father said two rolls of butter."

"Yes, and I've put three. There, these are all the eggs I've got, and
you mind you don't break 'em!"

"Oh, I say, mother," cried Ram, "aren't it heavy!"

"Nonsense! I could carry it on my finger; there, run along like a good
boy, and you must ask for her ladyship, and be very respectful, and say,
Mother's humble duty to you, my lady, and hopes you won't mind her
sending