they get on or not, all depends on the
way she may take it up. What are you looking at?'

'That lovely wreath of Traveller's Joy.'

'Do you want it?'

'No, thank you, it is too beautiful where it is.'

'There is a piece, going from tree to tree, by the Hiltonbury Gate, as
thick as my arm; I just saved it when West was going to cut it down with
the copsewood.'

'Well, you really are improving at last!'

'I thought you would never let me hear the last of it; besides, there was
a thrush's nest in it.'

By and by the cousins arrived at a field where Humfrey's portly
shorthorns were coming forth after their milking, under the pilotage of
an old white-headed man, bent nearly double, uncovering his head as the
squire touched his hat in response, and shouted, 'Good morning.'

'If you please, sir,' said the old man, trying to erect himself, 'I
wanted to speak to you.'

'Well.'

'If you please, sir, chimney smokes so as a body can scarce bide in the
house, and the blacks come down terrible.'

'Wants sweeping,' roared Humfrey, into his deaf ears.

'Have swep it, sir; old woman's been up with her broom.'

'Old woman hasn't been high enough. Send Jack up outside with a rope and
a bunch o' furze, and let her stand at bottom.'

'That's it, sir!' cried the old man, with a triumphant snap of the
fingers over his shoulder. 'Thank ye!'

'Here's Miss Honor, John;' and Honora came forward, her gravity somewhat
shaken by the domestic offices of the old woman.

'I'm glad to see you still able to bring out the cows, John. Here's my
favourite Daisy as tame as ever.'

'Ay! ay!' and he looked at his master for explanation from the stronger
and more familiar voice. 'I be deaf, you see, ma'am.'

'Miss Honor is glad to see Daisy as tame as ever,' shouted Humfrey.

'Ay! ay!' maundered on the old man; 'she ain't done no good of late, and
Mr. West and I--us wanted to have fatted her this winter, but the squire,
he wouldn't hear on it, because Miss Honor was such a terrible one for
her. Says I, when I hears 'em say so, we shall have another dinner on
the la-an, and the last was when the old squire was married, thirty-five
years ago come Michaelmas.'

Honora was much disposed to laugh at this freak of the old man's fancy,
but to her surprise Humfrey coloured up, and looked so much out of
countenance that a question darted through her mind whether he could have
any such step in contemplation, and she began to review the youn