thi mind?"

"Tha'd suit me weel enuff Joa, if tha'd owt to do, but aw can't wesh to
keep misen an' have thee sittin o' th' harstun for a ornament, thar't
hardly gooid lukkin enuff for that;--if tha'll stir thisen an' get some
wark awl tawk to thi."

Soa Joa left her to consider on it, an' he determined to try if he
could'nt find summat to do. As he wor creepin on a chap ovvertuk him an
says, "What are ta up to nah, Joa?"

"Awm seekin wark!"

"Why, if tha keeps on at that speed awm feeard tha'll nivver find ony,
for if it wur anent thi tha could'nt ovvertak it.

"Awm nooan tryin to ovvertak it,--but tha sees if ther's ony comin
behund it'll have a chonce o' overtakkin me, an' if aw wor go in faster
it might think aw wor tryin to get aght o'th' way on it: an' whativer
fowk may say, awm net one o' them 'ats feeard o' wark, for aw nivver put
misen aght oth' way to shirk owt yet."

"Noa, nor to seek owt nawther; but aw heeard ov a job this mornin at'll
just suit thi."

"What wor it?"

"Old Rodger wants a chap to drive his heears, an' its just the job for
thee, for th' horse knows th' way to th' Cemetary, an' tha'll have nowt
to do but sit o'th box. Tha'd better see after it."

"Aw think aw will sometime this afternooin," he sed, "aw could just
manage that sooart o' wark."

"Tha'd better goa nah if tha meeans to luk after it, or tha may be too
lat,--but gooid mornin, aw hav'nt time to stand here ony longer."

"Aw doant know whether to believe him or net," he sed, "for aw think
he's nooan reight in his heead, or he'd nivver ha' spokken abaat
standin' here when we've been walkin' all th' time. But ther can be noa
harm i' gooin to see after it, an' if aw get it, Abergil can have noa
excuse for refusin' me."

It tuk him a long time to get to Rodger's tho' it wor'nt aboon hauf a
mile, an' when he tell'd what he'd come for, Rodger lukt at him an' sed
"Well, tha'll do varry weel as far as thi face an' figger's consarned,
for tha luks as solid as a tombstun, but if aw gie thi th' job tha mun
promise to drive as a'w tell thi, for aw seckt th' last chap aw had
becoss he wod drive ta fast when he wor aght o' mi seet; an' tha knows
ther's nowt luks wor nor a gallopin funeral, an' aw want somdyaw can
trust."

"Yo, can trust me, an if yo'll gie me th' job aw warrant awl, drive just
as slow as yo want. But what's th'wage?"

"Ten shillin a wick, an' tha'll have as mich curran cake an' warm ale as
tha can teim into thi, an