"Well, 'Si, listen to me. I've promised George I would bear a hand i' this Cartwright job, an' I cannot go back o' my word. Besides I've promised more nor George. I cannot tell you all, 'Si, but my word's passed to stand by John Booth, an' see him safe out o' this muddle; an' see him safe out of it I will if I can." "Petticoats again," muttered 'Siah. "After that, I promise yo, 'Si, I'll be main glad to be clear of the whole business, and so I'll tell my cousin George. If machinery's to come we must find some better way of meeting it than with a sledge hammer." "Ah! that's th' sensiblest word tha ever spoke, Ben Bamforth." "But mark, 'Si, Bess must not be ready to start till after Saturday. Yo' understand: a nail in her hoof or a looseness i' th' bowels, I leave it to thee, 'Si. But leave here till after Saturday I won't, an' neither will yo', if yo're th' man I take thee for!" "A wilful man mun have his way. Go to thi baggin', Ben. Don't let 'em see us talkin' together. Aw understand thee, an' tha'st have thi way; but after Saturday a team o' horses shan't drag me a foot after George Mellor, an' there's my davy on it." And 'Siah crossed two fingers and spat over them, and that I knew to be more binding on 'Si than any Bible oath. So I turned to go, much relieved and easier in my mind now I had shaped a clear course. But 'Siah had not quite done. "Hauf a minnit, Ben. It had welly slipped mi mind. Has Mary said owt to thee about yon Ben Walker?" "No, what about him? Ben o' Buck's yo' mean?" "Aye, t' same felly, him at run away fra Long Tom." "Well, what on him?" "He's been after her agen." "Who? Tom?" "No', guise ang thee, Ben o' Buck's. Martha tell'd me. But aw reckon he'll noan come agen in a hurry. 'Oo sent him away wi' a flea in his yer 'oil, bi all accounts." "Aye?" "Aw cannot tell what t' ar' thinkin, on, Ben. It's no bizzness o' mine, but there 'oo is, ripe an' bloomin' an' ready to be plucked. 'As ta no een i' thi yed, at tha leaves her for all th' gallus birds i' th' country to pluck at when 'oo's thine for th' askin'?" "Stuff an' nonsense, 'Si. We winnot talk about it. But what about Walker?" "Nay, aw dunnot know all th' tale. Martha's ready enough to talk about some things, particular about th' iniquity o' a pint o' ale. But 'oo just gave me to understand 'at Walker's popped to Mary, an' Mary's as cross as a bear wi' a sore ear." "Tha doesn't know what she said to him, 'Si? But theer aw've no right to ask, an' tha's noan to tell. Maids' secrets are not for us to talk about." "Aw didn't gather 'at 'oo said much. But Martha said 'oo heard a smack, an' it didn't sound like th' smack o' a kiss, an' 'oo saw Ben goin' down th' broo very white i' one cheek an' very red o' th' other, an' lookin as ugly as a cur that's lost a bone. So tha can draw thi own conclusions, Ben, that is if thi, what d'ye call it, oh, thi honour, will let thee."