and with it gave a bump or two thereon, as if to ensure that their eyes all thoroughly took in the idea of fistiness before he went further. `Now - the first man in the parish that I hear prophesying bad of our mistress, why' (here the fist was raised and let fall, as Thor might have done with his hammer in assaying it) - `he'll smell and taste that - or I'm a Dutchman.'

All earnestly expressed by their features that their minds did not wander to Holland for a moment on account of this statement, but were deploring the difference which gave rise to the figure; and Mark Clark cried `Hear, hear; just what I should ha' said.' The dog George looked up at the same time after the shepherd's menace, and, though he understood English but imperfectly, began to growl.

`Now, don't ye take on so' shepherd, and sit down!' said Henery, with a deprecating peacefulness equal to anything of the kind in Christianity.

`We hear that ye be a extraordinary good and clever man, shepherd,' said Joseph Poorgrass with considerable anxiety from behind the maltster's bedstead, whither he had retired for safety. `'Tis a great thing to be clever, I'm sure,' he added, making movements associated with states of mind rather than body; `we wish we were, don't we, neighbours?'

`Ay, that we do, sure,' said Matthew Moon, with a small anxious laugh towards Oak, to show how very friendly disposed he was likewise.

`Who's been telling you I'm clever?' said Oak.

`'Tis blowed about from pillar to post quite common, said Matthew. `We hear that ye can tell the time as well by the stars as we can by the sun and moon, shepherd.'

`Yes, I can do a little that way,' said Gabriel, as a man of medium sentiments on the subject.

`And that ye can make sundials, and prent folks' names upon their waggons almost like copper-plate, with beautiful flourishes, and great long tails. A excellent fine thing for ye to be such a clever man, shepherd. Joseph Poorgrass used to prent to Farmer James Everdene's waggons before you came, and `a could never mind which way to turn the J's and E's - could ye, Joseph?' Joseph shook his head to express how absolute was the fact that he couldn't. `And so you used to do 'em the wrong way, like this, didn't ye, Joseph?' Matthew marked on the dusty floor with his whip-handle

JAMES

`And how Farmer James would cuss, and call thee a fool, wouldn't he, Joseph, when 'a seed his name looking so inside-out-like?' continued Matthew Moon, with feeling.

`Ay--'a would,' said Joseph meekly. `But, you see, I wasn't so much to blue, for them J's and E's be such trying sons o' witches for the memory to mind whether they face backward or forward; and I always had such a forgetful memory, too.'

`'Tis a bad affliction for ye, being such a man of calamities in other ways.'

`Well, 'tis; but a happy Providence ordered that it should be no worse, and I feel my thanks. As to shepherd, there, I'm sure mis'ess ought to have made ye her baily - such a fitting man for't as you be.'

`I don't mind owning that I expected it,' said Oak frankly. `Indeed, I hoped for the place. At the same time, Miss Everdene has a right to be her own baily if she choose - and to keep me down to be a common shepherd only.' Oak drew a slow breath, looked sadly into the bright ashpit, and seemed lost in thoughts not of the most hopeful hue.

The genial warmth of the fire now began to stimulate the nearly lifeless lambs to bleat and move their limbs briskly upon the hay, and to recognize for the first time the fact that they were born. Their noise