usiness, but intent on distant woods--confound it,
what are the men about, and why am I left vapouring? They have taken
advantage of me, the rogues! They are gone to the hedge for the
cider-jars; they have had up the sledd of bread and meat, quite softly
over the stubble, and if I can believe my eyes (so dazed with Lorna's
image), they are sitting down to an excellent dinner, before the church
clock has gone eleven!

'John Fry, you big villain!' I cried, with John hanging up in the air by
the scruff of his neck-cloth, but holding still by his knife and fork,
and a goose-leg in between his lips, 'John Fry, what mean you by this,
sir?'

'Latt me dowun, or I can't tell 'e,' John answered with some difficulty.
So I let him come down, and I must confess that he had reason on his
side. 'Plaise your worship'--John called me so, ever since I returned
from London, firmly believing that the King had made me a magistrate at
least; though I was to keep it secret--'us zeed as how your worship were
took with thinkin' of King's business, in the middle of the whate-rigg:
and so uz zed, "Latt un coom to his zell, us had better zave taime, by
takking our dinner"; and here us be, praise your worship, and hopps no
offence with thick iron spoon full of vried taties.'

I was glad enough to accept the ladle full of fried batatas, and to make
the best of things, which is generally done by letting men have their
own way. Therefore I managed to dine with them, although it was so
early.

For according to all that I can find, in a long life and a varied one,
twelve o'clock is the real time for a man to have his dinner. Then the
sun is at his noon, calling halt to look around, and then the plants and
leaves are turning, each with a little leisure time, before the work of
the afternoon. Then is the balance of east and west, and then the right
and left side of a man are in due proportion, and contribute fairly
with harmonious fluids. And the health of this mode of life, and its
reclaiming virtue are well set forth in our ancient rhyme,--

Sunrise, breakfast; sun high, dinner; Sundown, sup; makes a saint of a
sinner.

Whish, the wheat falls! Whirl again; ye have had good dinners; give your
master and mistress plenty to supply another year. And in truth we did
reap well and fairly, through the whole of that afternoon, I not only
keeping lead, but keeping the men up to it. We got through a matter of
ten acres, ere the sun between the shocks broke