together, and wed young Bewes."

"And, if she don't?" asked Mr. Cobley.

"Then Jane's in the street and it will be her death, because at her age
you can't transplant her. You hook her out of that nice little house and
she'll wilt away like a flower and very soon die of it."

Jack said no more, for he seldom wasted words, but he turned the matter
over in his mind and took occasion to see Jane Pedlar a few days after and
find out if what his mother had said was true.

"Because, ma'am," he said; "such things sound a thought contrary to
religion and justice in my mind."

"They be," admitted Jane. "They be clean contrary to justice and religion
both; but justice and religion are got so weak in Little Silver, that
nothing don't surprise me."

Well, Jack was all for caution, and he said but little. He ordained,
however, to look into the problem on his mother's account, and no better
man could have done it. His first thought was whether farmer might not be
reasonable.

"Maybe the maiden's only holding off the young man as maidens will, and be
the right one for him after all," he said.

"Maybe 'tis so," his mother replied, "but meantime poor dear Jane Pedlar
be suffering far too much for an old woman."

So Jack, he takes occasion to have a sight of young Bewes. They met riding
to hounds together, and though Richard Bewes counted himself a good many
sizes bigger and more important than the returned native, he was affable
and friendly and rather pleased Jack by his opinions and his good
sportsmanship.

But Cobley knew very well there's a sort of men very sporting in the open
among their neighbours and very much the reverse when they are out of
sight; and he also knew there's a sort very frank and honest to their
fellow men, but very much the reverse to their fellow women. So he just
took stock and had speech with Richard off and on and heard the gossip and
figured up Dick pretty well.

"I see the manner of man he is," he told Mrs. Cobley, "and I judge that if
he had a strong and sensible partner--a woman with her head screwed on the
right way--she could handle him all right and keep him decent and
straight. But she must be a woman of character who will win his respect
and keep his affection--a woman who'll love him very well and serve him
faithfully, but stand no messing about, nor any sort of nonsense. So the
question rises, be Milly Boon that sort of woman?"

His mother didn't know.

"She's a lovely creature," sa