the nail. I saw it wanted but very little to
make it go again. I therefore quietly, but without taking notice of my
companions, set to work to take off the face and do the needful repairs.
A pair of pincers on the window-ledge and some iron wire, in fact, an old
skewer, were all the tools necessary; and very soon, to the satisfaction
of my host, his wife, and his fair daughter, the clock was set going as
well as it ever had done. The farmer slapped me on the back and gave me
great encouragement. I then cast my eyes about to see what I could do
next. I mended a chair, repaired a china image, cleaned an old picture,
and taking a lock from a door repaired it, altering the key so that it
became useful. In fact, I so busied myself, and with such earnestness
that by night-time I had done the farmer a good pound's worth of
repairing. I then had my supper, and was made to understand I might
sleep in the barn, if I liked. On the next morning the farmer's daughter
found me very busy in the yard with the pigs, which I was feeding; in
fact, the whole of that day I worked hard, because I thought if I could
remain where I was until the wonder of our escapade was over, I might
eventually get away altogether from England by some unforeseen piece of
good fortune. For some time I worked at this farm, for, as if by mutual
consent of the farmer and myself, I remained, getting only my food for my
work; however, at the end of each week the farmer's wife gave me quietly
some money. I made several little fancy articles for Mademoiselle which
she seemed highly to prize; but it was through her that I left my snug
quarters. The principal labourer on the farm was courting, on the sly,
this young woman, and I noticed he became sulky with me, as Miss Mary on
several occasions selected me to perform some little service for her.
From an expression I heard him make use of to one of the other men I felt
sure he was about to do me some act of treachery and unkindness, and, as
I was no match for the great Hercules he seemed to be, I thought it best
to leave the place, as any disturbance might draw down attention upon me
too closely. I therefore put up my spare clothes, some of which had been
given to me by the farmer's wife--a kindly, Christian woman she was--and
hiding my little store of money securely in my breeches' waistband, very
early one fine morning I set off with a heart by no means light, from the
place where I had been so well-treated,