"Come to that," said Dorothy, "I dare say a masters' lot isn't quite a bed of roses. You'll find that out soon enough for yourselves I'm afraid." "Granted," said Tom, "but fat sorrow's better than lean; but I don't mean to be a master." Dorothy rose. "It is later than I thought. Betty must have come in by this, or Peggy. And the field's well-nigh deserted. Whit-Monday's come and gone, Tom, and I must e'en go too. You must take the flowers home to Lucy, and give her my love. Say I will call for the basket some fine day." But Tom ventured to touch her arm as she made as though to go. "Nay, Miss Dorothy, I would I might say my say--but, perhaps, you don't care to know our plans?"--this wistfully. "Oh! but indeed I do. Just five minutes then. And indeed it is vastly pleasanter here than indoors. No more romping for me this day," and Dorothy sat down again. "I said just now I did not mean to be a master, Ben and I are indeed going to add venture to venture. You know something about co-operation?" "Why, what a question! Of course I do. Doesn't Mr. Thorpe tell us every time he comes to see my aunt that the Co-op's ruining him--and serve him right, Betty says. Aunt says that things at the Co-op are nasty without being cheap, for what they give you in 'divvy'--isn't that the word?--they take out in quality. I hope you're not going to start a Co-op, Tom. I really cannot fancy you in a white apron, simpering over a counter and asking me 'what's the next article, miss?'" "Then you would give us your custom?" he asked with a smile. "Oh! Perhaps I might sneak in occasionally for a trifle--for Lucy's sake, you know." "But you forget, I told you we had taken part of a mill at Hinchliffe Mill. It's there we're going to have _our_ Co-op." "Isn't it rather out of the way? Fancy, having to send all that way for a pound of candles. Oh! I beg Ben's pardon; there'll be no need of candles with such a luminary as he in the shops. You'll be selling philosophy by the yard and theology by the stone. But seriously, Tom, I don't see what a Co-op has to do with a mill." "And that's just what I want to speak to you about. You see Ben's a Socialist, and all his life he has been crying out against capitalists and capital. Now he declares I want to turn him into a capitalist for we are to be partners in this venture upon a venture." Dorothy shook her head. "I'm just as much in the fog now as ever," she said, "I see if I want to know anything about this wonderful new departure I must ask Lucy. Do get on; you and your Co-op that isn't a Co-op after all. But you will not be a very bloated capitalist, will you, Tom?" she concluded mischievously.