t the bark
off the ashes and thorn bushes i' the hedges. I did all I could to keep
Owd Jerry frae the public-house while the storm lasted, but he would
toddle down ivery morning for his glass o' yal, and, of course, he got
his hoast back agean i' his thropple. All the same, I wouldn't give in.
I counted the days while St Mark's Day, and tewed and rived and better
rived to keep him out o' his coffin. But it was weary wark, and I got no
thanks frae Jerry for all I was doing for him.

"At lang length St Mark's Eve came round, and a wild day it was, and no
mistake. There had been deep snow on the moors two days afore, and after
the snow had come rain. It was a bad lambing time, and Mike and Amos
were about the farm all day and most o' the neet, looking after the
lambs that had lossen their yowes. Owd Jerry had threaped shameful the
day afore; the weather had been that bad he'd not been able to go down
to 'The Craven Heifer.'

"When I'd gotten out o' bed, and looked out o' the windey it were still
lashing wi' rain, and I said to misen, I'll keep Jerry i' bed to-day. If
I can keep him alive to-day I sal have won, and Jerry can do what he
likes wi' hissen to-morrow. So I hugged up his breakfast to his chamer
and told him I'd leet a fire for him there, and I'd get Harry Spink to
come and sit wi' him and keep him company. But Jerry wouldn't bide i'
bed, not for nobody; he'd set his mind on going down to the public, and
a wilful man mun have his way, choose what fowks say. So off he set, wi'
the rain teeming down all the time, and the beck getting higher and
higher wi' the spate.

"Eh, deary me! What I had to thole that day! I was flaid that if he had
a drop too mich he'd happen lose his footing on the plank-bridge at the
town-end, and then the spate would tak him off his feet and drown him. I
offered to walk wi' him down to the public and bide wi' him while he
wanted to come back; but he said he reckoned he were owd enough to do
wi'out a nuss-maid and told me to mind my own business. Well, twelve
o'clock came, and when I saw Owd Jerry coming back to his dinner I were
that fain I could have kissed him, though he'd a five-days' beard on his
face.

"When dinner were ower Mike told our Amos that he mun fetch in the
stirks that were out on the moors on the far side o' Wharfe. The weather
were that bad he doubted they'd come to no good if they were out all
neet. So Amos set off about half-past two, and, efter I'd weshed up and
si