's a stile into
the Upwell road. It's as straight as anything."

"Happen Miss Chester mightn't like to see me tramping over her field,"
said Tuvvy.

"She won't mind a bit. Besides, I'll ask her to let you. So that's all
right," said Dennis jumping up, "and I shall go and speak to Mr Solace
at once."

He was nearly out of the barn when Tuvvy's voice checked him.

"Hold hard, master," it said; "I ain't given that there promise you was
talking on."

"But you will," said Dennis, coming close up to the carpenter's bench,
and looking earnestly up into Tuvvy's dark face; "of course you will--
won't you?"

Tuvvy made no answer for a moment. He seemed puzzled to account for all
this interest on Dennis's part, but at length he held out a hand almost
black from hard work, and said:

"Well master, here's my hand on it. I'll do my best."

Dennis put his own into it seriously.

"That's a bargain, Mr Tuvvy," he said. "People always shake hands on
bargains. And now it will be all right."

Tuvvy raised his eyebrows doubtfully.

"Whether it is or whether 'tain't," he said, "you meant it kind, and I
take it kind, master."

Dennis himself had no doubts at all as he ran across the rick-yard to
the farmhouse. Mr Solace was so good-natured, he was always ready to do
what he was asked, and Dennis knew quite well that he and Maisie were
favourites. He felt still more anxious now that Tuvvy should not be
sent away, for since this talk with him, he seemed to have taken his
affairs under his protection. Tuvvy seemed to belong to him, and to
depend on him for help and advice, and Dennis was determined to do his
very best for him. So it was with a feeling of great importance that he
entered the housekeeper's room, where he was told that he should find
Mrs Solace and his sister. They were both there, and both very busy,
for Mrs Solace was making meat-pies, and Maisie, covered from head to
foot with a big white apron, was learning how to roll out paste.

"Did you want to see Andrew _particularly_, my dear?" asked Mrs Solace.
"Fact is, he's in the office, over his accounts, and don't want to be
disturbed. If it's a message from Miss Chester, you could leave it with
me, couldn't you? and I'll be sure he has it."

"It isn't a message from Aunt Katharine," said Dennis. "It's something
I _must_ say myself; something very important, indeed. Maisie knows it
is," he added, as Mrs Solace still hesitated.

She looked at the ch