’I—I’m about to be took cruel bad wi’ rheumatics, and what they calls the loinbagey. Now, afore you goes to Lanson, just you cut down to Ophir, and tell Cap’n Sampson I wants to see ’n mighty partickler here to the Table.’ An hour later, young Sampson Tramplara was at the cromlech. As he approached, he heard moaning and cries issuing from the interior. ’What the devil is the matter here?’ he asked, looking in. ’Who is that howling and groaning?’ ’Oh, Cap’n, it be me; I be took cruel bad wi’ rheumatics and the loinbagey.’ ’Well, I’m not your doctor.’ ’I sent to tell’y that I couldn’t fulfil my duty to-day there to Ophir.’ ’Then your daughter can do it.’ ’Her’s off to Lanson.’ ’What the devil is she gone there for?’ ’Sure, after my backie. Your vaither he promised me a pound a day for the work I did, and he arn’t paid me for a long while. Look’y there, I ha’ notched it all on the stone. There be as many days as you have fingers and toes, and your head chucked in as well.’ ’You fool!’ exclaimed young Tramplara, ’why did you not apply to me, instead of sending all the way to Launceston for it?’ ’Cos, if I’d ha’ axed you, you’d ha’ throwed a curse at me instead o’ a pound o’ backie.’ ’You damned blockhead,’ swore the young man, angrily. ’There—I sed as much. I’d rather hev the backie, though ’tother don’t hurt, it only tickles.’ ’Curse it,’ exclaimed Sampson, in a violent rage; ’there is a particular reason to-day why I want the water well salted. Damn your rheumatism; you _must_ be at your post.’ ’I can’t and I won’t,’ said Grizzly, sulkily. ’It is. You won’t, not you can’t,’ blustered Sampson; then he gathered his stick short in his hand, and catching the old man by the ragged collar of his coat, he beat him well, pouring forth at the same time a volley of curses. ’This is all sham; I don’t believe in your rheumatism. This is idleness. You are a good-for-nothing scoundrel. I’ll give you occasion to moan and cry out.’ ’You leave me alone, Cap’n,’ yelled Cobbledick. ’You forget, I reckon, that I hev got the hanging of’y in my hands.’ ’It may be so, but you forget that if I swing you swing also; one rope will do for both of us,’ said Sampson. ’And for that reason I do not fear you in the least. Now then, will you do your work again to-day?’ ’I can’t.’ ’I’ll give you five pounds of backie.’ ’I say what I sez; I can’t do it.’ ’Then,’ said young Sampson, ’there is no help for it; I must manage the job myself.’ ’You’d better,’ assented Grizzly; ’if I was you, I wouldn’t trust nobody else.’