after him, and I had just
happened of him up a tree when you began to halloa so loud, that he
went nigh to falling out of it, so I had to tell him to come back next
week, or the week after."

"You happened of him up a tree. Why what the deuce was the man doing
up a tree--measuring it?"

"No, Squire, I don't rightly know what he wor after, but he is a
curious kind of a chap, and he said he had a fancy to wait there."

"Good heavens! no wonder the place is going to ruin, when you deal
with men who have a fancy to transact their business up a tree. Well,
never mind that, I have settled the matter about the mortgages. Of
course somebody, a client of Mr. Quest's, has been found without the
least difficulty to take them up at four per cent. and advance the
other five thousand too, so that there be no more anxiety about that."

"Well that's a good job at any rate," answered George with a sigh of
relief.

"A good job? Of course it's a good job, but it is no more than I
expected. It wasn't likely that such an eligible investment, as they
say in the advertisements, would be allowed to go begging for long.
But that's just the way with you; the moment there's a hitch you come
with your long face and your uneducated sort of way, and swear that we
are all ruined and that the country is breaking up, and that there's
nothing before us but the workhouse, and nobody knows what."

George reflected that the Squire had forgotten that not an hour before
he himself had been vowing that they were ruined, while he, George,
had stoutly sworn that something would turn up to help them. But his
back was accustomed to those vicarious burdens, nor to tell the truth
did they go nigh to the breaking of it.

"Well, it's a good job anyway, and I thank God Almighty for it," said
he, "and more especial since there'll be the money to take over the
Moat Farm and give that varmint Janter the boot."

"Give him /what?/"

"Why, kick him out, sir, for good and all, begging your pardon, sir."

"Oh, I see. I do wish that you would respect the Queen's English a
little more, George, and the name of the Creator too. By the way the
parson was speaking to me again yesterday about your continued absence
from church. It really is disgraceful; you are a most confirmed
Sabbath-breaker. And now you mustn't waste my time here any longer. Go
and look after your affairs. Stop a minute, would you like a glass of
port?"

"Well, thank you, sir," said George reflectiv