--+-+-+
|Storage of same at rate of 6 pence per day|1|6|
+------------------------------------------+-+-+
|Restoration of same |1|9|
+------------------------------------------+-+-+
|Impliments |1|0|
+------------------------------------------+-+-+
|Man's time |1|3|
+------------------------------------------+-+-+
|Sundrys | |6|
+------------------------------------------+-+-+
| |7|9|
+==========================================+=+=+

It was quite a formidable total, but Lorna was evidently accustomed to
extortionate demands, and began beating him down without delay.

"Well, of all the outrageous pieces of impudence! Seven and ninepence,
indeed! You must have taken leave of your senses. If you think I am
going to pay you four or five shillings for carrying a few odds and ends
of furniture along the passage, you are mightily mistaken! And we
should have to help you, too, for you couldn't manage alone. If we
asked Wallace he'd do it at once, without any pay at all."

"Drink to me only with thine eyes!" chanted the little wretch, folding
his arms and gazing fixedly at me with a life-like assumption of
Wallace's attitude and expression, which sent Lorna into fits of
laughter, and made me magenta with embarrassment. "If you like to wait
until Wallace has time to run your errands and see you through your
difficulties, you will get your room finished by Christmas--with luck!
I am sorry you think my charges high, but I'm afraid I don't see my way
to reduce 'em."

"Midas, don't be a goose! We will pay you twopence an hour for your
time, and twopence a day for storage--that's the limit. That disposes
of the first four items. As for the rest, we had better understand each
other before we go any further. Kindly distinguish between implements
and sundries."

"Is this an Oxford local, or is it a conversation between a brother and
sister?" Midas demanded, throwing back his head, and mutely appealing
to an unseen arbiter in the corner of the ceiling. "If you can't
understand a simple thing like that, it doesn't say much for your
education. It is easily seen _you_ were never a plumber! I thought we
were going to come to a friendly agreement, but you are so close and
grasping, there is no dealing with you. Look here, will you give me
half-a-crown for the job?