ugh, though they were afraid to maintain the cause
of the Gobblealls before such an orator as Dan; and nothing worse than
these grumblings took place all harvest time, where the whole families
were fully employed, the men each taking a portion of the field, while
their wives and children aided in the reaping and binding, and earned
sums amongst them which would pay the quarter's rent, buy the pig, and
provide huge boots for the father, if for no others of the family. The
farmers provided substantial luncheons and suppers for the toilers in
the field; and, when all was over, and the last load carried, amid
joyful shouts, there was a great harvest supper at each farm, where
songs were sung, dances were danced, and there was often a most
unlimited quantity of beer swallowed.

No one had then thought of harvest thanksgivings; but at Greenhow there
was as usual the farm supper, but with only ale enough for good and not
for harm; the ladies came to hear the songs in the great farm kitchen,
and the party had to break up at nine o'clock. The women, especially
Mrs Mole, were glad; but the men, even the steady ones, did not like
having only half an evening of it, and "such a mean sup of beer." It
really was excellent strong beer--far better than the farmers' brew--but
that did not matter to the discontented, who, instead of letting
themselves be taken home by their wives, adjourned to the "Fox and
Hounds," and there sat over their pint cups, replenished from time to
time, while they discussed the captain's meanness, and listened to a
dirty old newspaper, which told of the doings of Jack Swing, who was
going about in Wiltshire, raising mobs, threatening farmers and squires,
and destroying machines. There was much excitement among the gentry
about Reform, but apparently the poor cared not about it.

To the Uphill mind, Wiltshire was as strange and distant a country as
Australia, and this made little impression, so that, as the days went
on, everybody went to their usual work, and there was no alarm.

"Oh no," said Mrs Carbonel, "the people here have far too much good
sense to want to molest their best friends. They quite admire our
threshing-machine; and see what a saving of labour it is!"

However, it was thought right to raise a body of yeomanry for the
defence of the country, in case the disaffection should become more
serious, and the assistance of Captain Carbonel at the county town was
urgently requested to organise t