"Remember you, eh!" said Sim, as the doctor went out of hearing. "Have you for the medical man? Yes, when we want ivery word as is spoke blabbed all over the place. It's my belief," continued Sim, sententiously, "as that fat old blobkite tells the last bit o' news, to every baby as soon as it's born, and asks them as he's killed whether they'd like a ride in his gig. Hallo! there's owd Joe Banks leaning over his fence. What a fierce-looking old maulkin he is; he looks as sour as if he'd been yeating berry pie wi'out sugar. Day, Banks," he said, stopping. "Day," said Joe, shortly, and staring very hard at the visitor. "I think it'll rean soon, mun." "Do yow?" said Joe, roughly. "I weer over to Churley yesterday," said Sim, "and it reant all day." "Did it?" said Joe. "Ay, it did. 'Twas a straange wet day." "Where are you going?" said Joe. "Oh, only just up to Brown's to see if I could buy a bit o' kindling for the Missus." "Go and buy it, then," said Joe, turning his back, "and let me get shut o' thee." "Say, Joe Banks," said Sim, quite unabashed, "as I have met thee I should just like to say a word or two to thee." "Say away then." "Nay, nay. Not here. Say, mun, that's a fine primp hedge o' yourn," he continued, pointing to the luxuriant privet hedge that divided the garden of the snug house from the road. "You let my primp hedge bide," said Joe, sharply; "and if you've got any mander o' message from your lot, spit it out like a man." "Message! I a message!" said Sim, with a surprised air. "Not I. It was a word or two 'bout thy lass." Joe Banks's face became crimson, and he turned sharply to see if any one was at door or window so as to have overheard Sim's words. As there was no one, he came out of the gate, took his caller's arm firmly in his great fist, and walked with him down the lane out of sight of the houses, for the foreman's pretty little place was just at the edge of the town, and looked right down the valley. Sim's heart beat a little more quickly, and he felt anything but comfortable; but, calling up such determination as he possessed, he walked on till Joe stopped short, faced him, and then held up a menacing finger. "Now look here, Sim Slee," said Joe; "I just warn thee to be keerful, for I'm in no humour to be played wi'." "Who wants to play wi' you?" said Sim; "I just come in a neighbourly way to gi'e ye a bit o' advice, and you fly at me like a lion." "Thou'rt no neighbour o' mine," said Joe, "and thou'rt come o' no friendly errant. Yow say yow want to speak to me 'bout my lass. Say thee say." "Oh, if that's the way you tak' it," said Sim, "I'm going." "Nay, lad, thee ain't," said Joe. "Say what thee've got to say now, for not a step do yow stir till yo' have."