The little lady was greatly agitated, though she strove hard to keep an equable look upon her countenance, returning the vicar's salute quietly, as he walked down to the gate; whilst such an opportunity of a respite from the spade not being one to be neglected, Jacky Budd stuck that implement firmly amongst the weeds, and followed closely. "Shall I hold Prinkle, mum?" he said, going to the pony's head. "Yes--no, Jacky, I'm not going to stay," said Mrs Glaire. "Are you at work here, then?" "Yes, mum." "Mind he does work, then, Mr Selwood," she continued; "and don't let him have any beer, for he's a terribly lazy fellow." Jacky looked appealingly at his mistress, then smiled, and looked at the vicar, as much as to say, "You hear her--she will have her joke." "Is anything the matter?" said the vicar, earnestly. "Well, yes; not much, Mr Selwood: but I am getting old and nervous, and I thought I would ask you to come up. You seemed to have so much influence with the men." "Certainly I'll come up, if I can be of any use." "Pray get in then," said Mrs Glaire, and the springs of the little vehicle went down as the vicar stepped in, while, during the minute or two that ensued, as Mrs Glaire drove up to the foundry, she told him that the works had not been opened till mid-day, when it had been agreed upon by her son--at her wish--that he would receive some of the workmen at the counting-house, and try to make some arrangement about terms. "I went to the works, too," she said, "not to interfere, but to try and be ready to heal any breach that might arise. Of course I called in as if by accident, as I was going for a drive." "And has anything occurred?" said the vicar. "No; but I was afraid, for Richard is very impetuous, and I thought as-- as you saw what you did yesterday--" "My dear Mrs Glaire, pray always look upon me as an old friend, who has your welfare and that of the people thoroughly at heart. Oh, here we are." His remarks were cut short by the pony turning sharply in at the great gates, as if quite accustomed to the place, and as the men, who were pretty thick in the yard, made way, some of them roughly saluting the occupants of the chaise, the pony stopped of its own accord in front of the counting-house. The vicar sprang out and helped Mrs Glaire to alight, following her into the building, where Richard was sitting, looking very sulky, at the head of a table, and about a dozen of the men were present, Simeon Slee being in the front rank. "It's going agen my advice, Mester Richard Glaire," he was saying. "If the men did as I advise, they'd stand out, but I'm not the man to stand in the way of a peaceable settlement, and as you've come to your senses, why I agree." "I didn't agree for you to come to the works, Slee," said Richard, sharply. "Yes, yes, yes," chorused half-a-dozen voices; "all or none, Maister. All or none."