"There's yo'r writin's to think on," he said. "Yo' munnot forget as yo'r bun' to Jabez Tinker till y'or twenty-one, an' thof mebbe nob'dy could blame yo' if yo' just went yo'r own gate as if th' writin's weren't ther; still aw misdoubt me th' law 'ud ha' summat to say: an' if yo' once get into th' lawyers' han's aw reely dunnot think yo' need bother yo'rsen abaat what yo' mun do wi' yo'r fortin'." "But, Ben, whatever comes I mean to do the square thing by Mr. Tinker. I've served him faithfully up to now, and I don't mean to end up by doing otherwise. But don't you think he would release me, if it were fairly put to him, and he received some equivalent." "He mote," said Ben, "an' then agen he moten't. But ther's no harm i' axin'." "Aye, that's just like yo' men," said Hannah, "nowt'll do but goin' at a thing like a bull at a red rag. Tom mun step i' to th' caantin'-haase, an' say: 'If yo' please Mr. Tinker, aw'd like yo' to breik mi writin's, aw'n had some brass left me.' Nah, that's nooan my way." "Well, what is it, Hannah?" "Sayin's tellin', an' if aw tell'd yo', yo'd be as wise as me. Th' question is, what mun Tom do when he's free?" "Aye, that's it," said Tom. "Well aw 've my plan, Tom, if th' missus, theer 'll let a man get a word in edgeways. Nah! Hannah, if th'rt fair run daan aw 'll go on." Hannah disdained to make reply. "Nah! my advice is," said Ben, "just go on, as it were, quiet, for the next few months; but i'stead o' bein' satisfied i' th' mill wi' just doin' what tha'rt set to, keep thi een oppen an' tak' th' cotton wool aat o' yo'r ears, if yo' happen to have ony in, an' larn all ther' is to larn at Tinker's. He 'greed to teeach thee th' trade o' a clothier, an' aw'll be bun' he has'nt swopped ten words wi' yo' sin a 'prentice yo'n bin an' as for that druffen swill-tub, th' slubber, he might teich yo' th' differ atween th' feel o' a strap an' th' feel o' a pickin'-rod abaat yo'r back, an' that's abaat all. But till th' time comes for thee to oppen aat to Tinker, aw'd recommend yo in a quiet way, to larn all tha can. Get to know th' feel an' th' qualities o' wool, an' th' prices, an' th' natur' o'th' dyes an' acids, an' aboon all mak frien's wi' th' tuner, an' larn to gear a machine, an' tune it when it's aat o' gear." Tom nodded. "Weel," went on Ben, "as aw'n said. A hunderd paand 's a seet o' brass, an' if yo' know yo'r way abaat yo' can get a set o' machines wi' it--what 'll do for a start ony road i' a sma'ish way, which is th' best rooad an' choose hah! Yo'll ha nooa difficulty i' gettin' room an' power, an' what's more, if yo' winnot think awm sayin' one word for thee an' two for mysen, if yo' like to start i' manifactorin' o' thi own accaant, owd Ben Garsed's mony a yer o' gooid wark in him yet an' he'll be yo'r man, an' that's more nor he'd say for ony other being 'at walks o' two legs atween here an' th' next spot."