While he paused thus, Cai steadily advanced to meet and pass him. He was plainly at the mercy of his team--a grey and a brown, both of conspicuous height--and they were drawing the furrow at their own sweet will. But he, too, clung to the plough-tail, and his lips were compressed, his eyes rigid, as he drew nearer, to meet and pass his adversary. He, likewise, had cast coat and waistcoat aside: his hat he had entrusted to an unknown backer. He saw nothing, as he came, but the line of the furrow he prayed to achieve. "Captain Hocken!" She stepped forward hardily, holding up a hand, and Cai's team, too, came to a halt as if ashamed. "What--_what_ is the meaning of this foolishness?" "I've had enough, it _he_ has," said Cai sheepishly, glancing past her and at 'Bias. "I ain't doin' this for fun, ma'am," owned 'Bias. "Fact is, I'd 'most as lief steer a monkey by the tail." "Then drop it this instant, the pair of you!" 'Bias scratched his head. "As for that, ma'am, I don't see how we can oblige. There's money on it--bets." "There won't be money's worth left in my field, at the rate you're spoilin' it." She turned upon the two judges, who were advancing timidly to placate her, while the crowd hung back. "And now, Mr Nicholls--now, Mr Widger--I'd like to hear what _you_ have to say to this!" "'Tis a pretty old cauch, sure 'nough," allowed Mr Sam Nicholls, pushing up the brim of his hat on one side and scratching his head while his eye travelled along the furrows. "Cruel!" "And you permitted it! You, that might be supposed to have _some_ knowledge o' farmin'!" "Why, to be sure, ma'am," interposed Mr Widger, "we never reckoned as 'twould be so bad as all this. . . . Young Bill Crago came to us with word as how these--these two gentlemen--had made a match, and he asked us to do the judgin' same as for the classes 'pon the bills--" "And so you started them? And then, I suppose, you couldn't stop for laughin'?" "Something like that, ma'am, _as_ you say," Mr Widger confessed. "And what sort o' speech will you make, down to County Council, when I send in my bill for damages?--you that complained to me, only this mornin', how the rates were goin' up by leaps and bounds! . . . As for these gentlemen," said Mrs Bosenna, turning on Cai and 'Bias with just a twinkle of mischief in her eyes, "I shall be at home to-morrow morning if they choose to call and make me an offer--unless, o' course, they prefer to do so by letter." At this, Dinah put up her hand suddenly to cover her mouth. But Cai and 'Bias were in no state of mind to catch the double innuendo. Having thus reduced the judges to contrition, and having proceeded to call forward the local secretary and to extort from him a long and painful apology, Mrs Bosenna wound up with a threat to bundle the whole Demonstration out of her field if she heard of any further nonsense, and, taking Dinah's arm, sailed off (so to speak) with all the trophies of war.