“Tut, tut, my good woman,” returned his lordship. “Pooh, pooh! Do for firewood. Nice and dry against the winter. Much better there than obstructing the high-road--much better. Joseph Beaker, take the ladder.” “My turn next time,” replied Joseph. “Carried it here.” His lordship, a little abashed, feigned to consider, and took snuff. “Quite right, Joseph,” he answered, “quite right. Quite fair to remind me. Perfectly fair.” But he was a good deal blown and wearied with his exertions, and though anxious to escape the moanings of the widow he had no taste for the exercise which awaited him. He braced himself for the task, however, and handing the tools to his henchman, manfully shouldered the ladder and started away with it. The lane was circuitous, and when once he had rounded the first corner he paused and set down his burden. “It's unusually warm to-day, Joseph,” he said, mopping at his wrinkled forehead. “Theer's a coolish breeze,” replied Joseph, “and a-plenty o' shadder.” “Do you know, Joseph,” said the earl, in a casual tone, “I think I shall have to get you to take this turn. I am a little tired.” “Carried it last turn,” said Joseph, decidedly. “A bargain's a bargain.” “Certainly, certainly,” returned his lordship, “a bargain _is_ a bargain, Joseph.” He sat down upon one of the lower rungs of the ladder and fanned himself with a pocket-handkerchief. “But you know, Joseph,” he began again after a pause, “nobody pushes a bargain too hard. If you carry the ladder this time I will carry it next. Come now--what do you say to that?” “It's a quarter of a mile from here to Willis's,” said Joseph, “and it ain't five score yards from theer to the Tan-yard. Theer's some,” he added, with an almost philosophic air, “as knows when they are well off.” “I'll give you an extra penny,” said his lordship, condescending to bargain. “I'll do it for a extry sixpince,” replied Joseph. “I'll make it twopence,” said his lordship--“twopence and a screw of snuff.” “I'll do it for a extry sixpince,” Joseph repeated, doggedly. _Noblesse oblige_. There was a point beyond which the Earl of Barfield could not haggle. He surrendered, but it galled him, and the agreeable sense of humor with which he commonly regarded Joseph Beaker failed him for the rest of that afternoon. It happened, also, that the people who remained to be encountered one and all opposed him, and with the exception of his triumph over the Widow Hotchkiss the day was a day of failure.