d Gillman, "I know not what will happen to the
farmstead. For it is six months now since I tasted water, and how can a
man follow his business who is fuddled day and night with Barley Wine?
Life is full of hardships, of which daughters are the greatest.
Gillian!" he cried, "when will ye come into your senses and out of the
Well-House?"

But Gillian took no more heed of him than of the quacking of the drake
on the duckpond.

"Well, here is your bread," said Gillman, and he thrust a basket with
seven loaves in it through the gap. "And may to-morrow bring better
tidings."

"One moment, dear master," entreated little Joan. "Tell me, please, how
Nancy my Jersey fares."

"Pines for you, pines for you, maid, though Charles does his best by
her. But it is as though she had taken a vow to let down no milk till
you come again. Rack and ruin, rack and ruin!"

And the old man retreated as he had come, muttering "Rack and ruin!"
the length of the hedge.

The maids then set about preparing breakfast, which was simplicity
itself, being bread and apples than which no breakfast could be
sweeter. There was a loaf for each maid and one over for Gillian, which
they set upon the wall of the Well-House, taking away yesterday's loaf
untouched and stale.

"Does she never eat?" asked Martin.

"She has scarcely broken bread in six months," said Joscelyn, "and what
she lives on besides her thoughts we do not know."

"Thoughts are a fast or a feast according to their nature," said
Martin, "so let us feed the ducks, who have none."

They broke the stale bread into fragments, and when the ducks had made
a meal, returned to their own; and of two loaves made seven parts, that
Martin might have his share, and to this they added apples according to
their fancies, red or russet, green or golden.

After breakfast, at Martin's suggestion, they made little boats of
twigs and leaves and sailed them on the duckpond, where they met with
many adventures and calamities from driftweed, small breezes, and the
curiosity of the ducks. And before they were aware of it the dinner
hour was upon them, when they divided two more loaves as before and ate
apples at will.

Then Martin, taking a handkerchief from his pocket, proposed a game of
Blindman's-Buff, and the girls, delighted, counter
Eener-Meener-Meiner-Mo to find the Blindman. And Joyce was He. So
Martin tied the handkerchief over her eyes.

"Can you see?" asked Martin.

"Of course I can't see!