thengs do that; forty grows for one. Thaay be an old-fashioned
potato; you won't find many of thaay, not true forty-folds. Mine comes
true, 'cause I saves um every year a' purpose. Better take more than
that (to Amaryllis)--you haven't got but two" (to Mrs. Iden).

What he ate other people at his table must eat, and the largest quantity
possible. No one else must speak, hardly to say "Yes" or "No," but the
master could talk, talk, talk without end. The only talking that might
be done by others was in praise of the edibles on the table by Iden so
carefully provided. You might admire the potatoes or the mutton, but you
must not talk on any other subject. Nor was it safe even to do that,
because if you said, "What capital potatoes!" you were immediately
helped to another plateful, and had to finish them, want them or not. If
you praised the mutton several thick slices were placed on your plate,
and woe to you if you left a particle. It was no use to try and cover
over what you could not manage with knife and fork; it was sure to be
seen. "What bean't you going to yet (eat) up that there juicy bit, you?"

Amaryllis and Mrs. Iden, warned by previous experience, discreetly
refrained from admiring either mutton or potatoes.

[Illustration]

CHAPTER III.

"FORTY-FOLDS," went on the master, "be the best keeping potatoes. Thur
be so many new sorts now, but they bean't no good; they be very good for
gentlefolk as doan't know no better, and poor folk as can't help
theirselves. They won't grow everywhere neither; there bean't but one
patch in our garden as ull grow 'um well. It's that's big middle patch.
Summat different in the soil thur. There's a lot, bless you! to be
learned before you can grow a potato, for all it looks such a simple
thing. Farty-folds----"

"Farty-folds!" said Mrs. Iden, imitating his provincial pronunciation
with extreme disgust in her tone.

"Aw, yes, too," said Iden. "Varty-volds be ould potatoes, and thur
bean't none as can beat um."

The more she showed her irritation at his speech or ways, the more he
accentuated both language and manner.

"Talking with your mouth full," said Mrs. Iden. It was true, Iden did
talk with his mouth full, very full indeed, for he fed heartily. The
remark annoyed him; he grunted and spluttered and choked a
little--floury things are choky. He got it down by taking a long draught
at his quart of strong ale. Splendid ale it was, too, the stuff to
induce yo