in this wise: his lordship having carefully arranged
his rounds so that Joseph should carry the ladder all the long distances
while he himself bore it all the short ones, had found himself so
flurried by the defeat he had encountered at the hands of Miss Blythe,
that he had permitted Joseph to take up the ladder and carry it away
from where it had leaned against the apple-tree in the little old lady's
garden. This unforeseen incident had utterly disarranged his plans,
and since he had been unadvised enough to post his servitor in the
particulars of the campaign, Joseph had been quick to discover his own
advantage.

"We will go straight on to Willis's, Joseph," said his lordship, when
they began their rounds that afternoon. The stroke was simple, but, if
it should only succeed, was effective.

"We bain't a-goin' to pass Widder Hotchkiss, be we, governor?" demanded
Joseph, who saw through the device. His lordship decided not to hear the
question, and walked on a little ahead, swinging the billhook and the
saw.

Joseph Beaker revolved in his mind his own plan of action. In front of
Widow Hotchkiss's cottage the trees were unusually luxuriant, and the
boughs hung unusually low. When they were reached, Joseph contrived to
entangle his ladder and to bring himself to a stand-still, with every
appearance of naturalness.

"My blessed!" he mumbled, "this here's a disgrace to the parish, gaffer.
Theer's nothin' in all Heydon Hay as can put a patch on it. Thee bissent
agoin' past this, beest? Her's as small-sperited as a rabbit--the widder
is."

"We'll take it another time, Joseph," said his lordship, striving
to cover his confusion by taking a bigger pinch of snuff than
common--"another time, Joseph, another time."

"Well," said Joseph, tossing his lop-sided head, as if he had at last
fathomed the folly and weakness of human nature, and resigned himself to
his own mournful discoveries, "I should niver ha' thought it." He made
a show of shouldering the ladder disgustedly, but dropped it again. "We
fled afore a little un yesterday," he said. "I did look for a show o'
courage here, governor." His lordship hesitated. "Why, look at it,"
pursued Joseph, waving a hand towards the overhanging verdure; "it 'ud
be a sinful crime to go by it."

"Put up the ladder, Joseph," replied his lordship, in a voice of sudden
resolve. The Hotchkiss case was a foregone victory for him, and his
own desires chimed with Joseph's arguments, even wh