t audience at The Crown, allowed Mrs. Craddock to perform her
household tasks unmolested.

Hearing Jud at the door, he turned his head.

"It's yo', is it?" he said. "Tha con coom in. What's browten?"

"Summat fur th' missis fro' th' Rectory," Jud answered, producing his
parcel; "Miss Anice sent me wi' it."

"Tak' it to th' owd lass, then," said Sammy. "Tak' it to her. Tha'lt
find her in th' back kitchen."

Having done as he was bidden, Jud came back again to the front room.
Mrs. Craddock had hospitably provided him with a huge sandwich of bread
and cheese, and Nib followed him with expectant eyes.

"Sit thee down, lad," said Sammy, condescendingly. "Sit thee down,
tha'st getten a walk both afore and behind thee. What book 'st getten
under thy arm?"

Jud regarded the volume with evident pride and exultation.

"It's Robyson Crusoe, that theer is," he answered.

Sammy shook his head dubiously.

"Dunnot know as I ivver heerd on him. He's noan scripter, is he?"

"No," said Jud, repelling the insinuation stoutly; "he is na."

"Hond him over, an' let's ha' a look at him."

Jud advanced.

"Theer's picters in it," he commented eagerly. "Theer's one at th'
front. That theer un," pointing to the frontispiece, "that theer's him."

Sammy gave it a sharp glance, then another, and then held the book at
arm's length, regarding Robinson's goat-skin habiliments over the rims
of his spectacles.

"Well, I'm dom'd," he exclaimed. "I'm dom'd, if I would na loike to see
that chap i' Riggan! What's th' felly getten on?"

"He's dressed i' goat-skins. He wur cast upon a desert island, an' had
na owt else to wear."

"I thowt he must ha' been reduced i' circumstances, or he'd nivver ha'
turnt out i' that rig less he thowt more o' comfort than appearances.
What wur he doin' a-casting hissen on a desert island? Wur he reet i'
th' upper story?"

"He wur shipwrecked," triumphantly. "Th' sea drifted him to th' shore,
an' he built hissen a hut, an' gettin' goats an' birds, an'--an' aw
sorts--an'--it's the graideliest book tha ivver seed. Miss Anice gave it
me."

"Has she read it hersen?"

"Aye, it wur her as tellt me most on it."

Sammy turned the volume over, and looked at the back of it, at the edges
of the leaves, at the gilt-lettered title.

"I would na be surprised," he observed with oracular amiability. "I
would na be surprised--if that's th' case--as theer's summat in it."

"That as I've towd thee is nowt to th' res