ed by an exactly similar sound from the wainscots, where mice
nibbled in the silence. Anon, from the debris of his composition, a
complete work took shape; and when Phoebe awoke at three o'clock,
discovered her husband was still absent, and sought him hurriedly, she
found the inventory completed and Will just fastening its pages together
with a piece of string. He was wide awake and in a particularly happy
humour.

"Ban't you never comin' to bed? 'T is most marnin'," she said.

"Just comin'. What a job! Look here--twelve pages. I be surprised myself
to think how blamed well I've got through wi' it. You doan't knaw what
you can do till you try. I used to wonder at Clem's cleverness wi' a
pen; but I be purty near so handy myself an' never guessed it!"

"I'm sure you've made a braave job of it. I'll read it fust thing
to-morrow."

"You shall hear it now."

"Not now, Will; 't is so late an' I'm three paarts asleep. Come to bed,
dearie."

"Oh--if you doan't care--if it's nought to you that I've sit up all
night slavin' for our gude--"

"Then I'll hear it now. Coourse I knaw 't is fine readin'. Awnly I
thought you'd be weary."

"Sit here an' put your toes to the heat."

He set Phoebe in the chimney corner, wrapped his coat round her, and
threw more turf on the fire.

"Now you'm vitty; an' if theer's anything left out, tell me."

"I lay, wi' your memory, you've forgot little enough."

"I lay I haven't. All's here; an' 't is a gert wonder what a lot o' gude
things us have got. They did ought to fetch a couple o' hunderd pound at
least, if the sale's carried out proper."

"They didn't cost so much as that."

"By Gor! Didn't they? Well, set out in full, like this here, they do
sound as if they ought to be worth it. Now, I'll read 'em to see how it
all sounds in spoken words."

He cleared his throat and began:

"'Sale this day to Newtake Farm, near Chagford, Dartmoor, Devonshire.
Mr. William Blanchard, being about to leave England for foreign parts,
desires to sell at auction his farm property, household goods, cloam,
and effects, etc., etc., as per items below, to the best bidder. Many
things so good as new.' How do 'e like that, Phoebe?"

"Butivul; but do 'e mean in all solemn seriousness to go out England? 'T
is a awful thought, come you look at it close."

"Ess, 't is a gert, bold thing to do; but I doan't fear it. I be gettin'
into a business-like way o' lookin' 'pon life of late; an' I counts the
cost