father out of temper with him, as he
had wished him to follow on at the mill. But as the lad had enlisted
seriously, and as he had often said that he would be a soldier, the
miller had thought that he would let Jack take his chance in the
profession of his choice.

Loveday had two sons, and the second was now brought into the
conversation by a remark of Anne's that neither of them seemed to care
for the miller's business.

'No,' said Loveday in a less buoyant tone. 'Robert, you see, must needs
go to sea.'

'He is much younger than his brother?' said Mrs. Garland.

About four years, the miller told her. His soldier son was
two-and-thirty, and Bob was twenty-eight. When Bob returned from his
present voyage, he was to be persuaded to stay and assist as grinder in
the mill, and go to sea no more.

'A sailor-miller!' said Anne.

'O, he knows as much about mill business as I do,' said Loveday; 'he was
intended for it, you know, like John. But, bless me!' he continued, 'I
am before my story. I'm come more particularly to ask you, ma'am, and
you, Anne my honey, if you will join me and a few friends at a leetle
homely supper that I shall gi'e to please the chap now he's come? I can
do no less than have a bit of a randy, as the saying is, now that he's
here safe and sound.'

Mrs. Garland wanted to catch her daughter's eye; she was in some doubt
about her answer. But Anne's eye was not to be caught, for she hated
hints, nods, and calculations of any kind in matters which should be
regulated by impulse; and the matron replied, 'If so be 'tis possible,
we'll be there. You will tell us the day?'

He would, as soon as he had seen son John. ''Twill be rather untidy, you
know, owing to my having no womenfolks in the house; and my man David is
a poor dunder-headed feller for getting up a feast. Poor chap! his sight
is bad, that's true, and he's very good at making the beds, and oiling
the legs of the chairs and other furniture, or I should have got rid of
him years ago.'

'You should have a woman to attend to the house, Loveday,' said the
widow.

'Yes, I should, but--. Well, 'tis a fine day, neighbours. Hark! I
fancy I hear the noise of pots and pans up at the camp, or my ears
deceive me. Poor fellows, they must be hungry! Good day t'ye, ma'am.'
And the miller went away.

All that afternoon Overcombe continued in a ferment of interest in the
military investment, which brought the excitement of an invasion w