“And when are you going to get married, Adam?”

“Well sir, we was thinkin’ that if Miss Anthea has a good season, this year, we’d get it over an’ done wi’ some time in October, sir,—­but it’s all accordin’.”

“According to what?”

“To the ‘ops, sir,—­the H-O-P-S—­’ops, sir.  They’re comin’ on fine,—­ah! scrumptuous they be!  If they don’t take the blight, sir, they’ll be the finest ‘ops this side o’ Maidstone.  But then, if they do take the blight,—­why then my ’opes is blighted likewise sir,—­B-L-I-T-E-D, —­blighted, Mr. Belloo sir!” which said, Adam laughed once, nodded his head several times, and relapsed into puffing silence.

“Mr. Cassilis was over to-day, Adam,” said Bellew, after a while pursuing a train of thought.

“Ah sir!—­I seen him,—­’e also seen me.  ’E told me as Job Jagway was up and about again,—­likewise Job Jagway will be over ’ere to-morrow, along wi’ the rest of ’em for the sale, sir.”

“Ah yes,—­the sale!” said Bellew, thoughtfully.

“To think o’ that there Job Jagway a coming over here to buy Miss Anthea’s furnitur’ do set the Old Adam a workin’ inside o’ me to that amazin’ extent as I can’t sit still, Mr. Belloo sir!  If that there Job crosses my path to-morrer—­well—­let ’im—­look out, that’s all!” saying which, Adam doubled up a huge, knotted fist and shook it at an imaginary Job.

“Adam,” said Bellew, in the same thoughtful tone, “I wonder if you would do something for me?”

“Anything you ax me, sir, so long as you don’t want me to—­”

“I want you to buy some of that furniture for me.”

“What!” exclaimed Adam, and vented his great laugh again, “well, if that ain’t a good ’un, sir! why that’s just w’ot I’m a going to do!  Ye see, I ain’t w’ot you might call a rich cove, nor yet a millionaire, but I’ve got a bit put by, an’ I drawed out ten pound, yesterday.  Thinks I,—­’here’s to save Miss Anthea’s old sideboard, or the mirror as she’s so fond of, or if not—­why then a cheer or so,—­they ain’t a going to get it all,—­not while I’ve got a pound or two,’ I sez to myself.”

“Adam,” said Bellew, turning suddenly, “that sentiment does you credit, that sentiment makes me proud to have knocked you into a ditch,—­shake hands, Adam.”  And there, beneath the great apple tree, while the moon looked on, they very solemnly shook hands.

“And now, Adam,” pursued Bellew, “I want you to put back your ten pounds, keep it for Prudence,—­because I happen to have rather more than we shall want,—­see here!” And, with the words, Bellew took out a leathern wallet, and from this wallet, money, and bank-notes,—­more money, and more bank-notes than Adam had ever beheld in all his thirty odd years, at sight of which his eyes opened, and his square jaw relaxed, to the imminent danger of his cherished clay pipe.

“I want you to take this,” Bellew went on, counting a sum into Adam’s nerveless hand, “and to-morrow, when the sale begins, if any one makes a bid for anything, I want you to bid higher, and, no matter what, you must always buy—­always, you understand?”