"But I hanna got the chincough," said Ashford, sulkily.

"Nay, but there's charms and charms. Some folks thinks a deal o' a necklace of coins fro' the communion money, but I arena much for that," answered Nanny, who was a staunch Dissenter, with a touch of pride. "It may be all very well for Church folk, but them as is brought up i' the light o' truth dunnot hold by such ways."

"I wonna be worrited nayther by physics nor charms," growled the old man, doggedly. "Where hae ye bin to all this while? tell me summat."

"I've been up i' th' Dales to Stoney Tracey. I allus goes there by nows and thens. Flour's up again, I heerd say," said Nanny, as the boy German came in with a sack on his head; sure it's an uncommon price. Ye mun tak' heed to the Hobbthursts."

"What's them?" inquired German, with much interest, as he came up behind her, hoping for a "tale," while Cassandra turned round from washing her pans to hear, and even Lydia paused in her spinning to listen.

"Hast thee niver heerd," said the old woman, "o' the big boggat as robs the mills up i' th' Dales, for a' the doors be safe locked ?"

"And how does he get in ?" asked the boy, with round open eyes peering eagerly into the old woman's face.

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They say giant Hobb* hath ever a little un alongside o' him, a dwarf like, as he puts through the window o' th' mill to tak' the meal. And the butter, too, ain't safe; but how that mid be I canna say, for they're all 'fraid to look out when he comes.'

"Nay," said old Ashford, "I wunna ha' my lad telled such a pack o' nonsense tales a' thattins, a kippin' him frae his work. There ain't no such

things in nature, not a bit. And the Hobb niver was knowed to come beyont the Dale," he added, conclusively in authority if not in reasoning.

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'Well," replied the woman, "anyhow there's Squire Rivers been a pokin' and a diggin' into things as he'd better leave alone. I doubt the Hobb will be arter his meal anyways. He's been into the cavern they ca' Ludchurch, and t'other hole, where the Hobb has his lodging they allus say."

"Dear heart, what fools there do be in th' world," said Ashford, oracularly. "There were a queer little fella wi' spectacles on's nose, as comed here speerin' questions up and down, mebbe a twelvemonth back.

* In other places he is given his title "Hob" (goblin).

'And what's them figures upo' th' house?' says he. 'I dunna know; I beant booklearned,' says I,—short like, to ha' done wi' un. 'And how do ye ca' this, and what do ye ca' t'other ?' he goes on, none daunted. And what's the name o' yon little hill nigh there?' 'Lose Hill,' says I. And that other t'other?'

"Ah, that'll be Win Hill he'd mean," said Nanny, much interested.

Dead

"Yes,' says he. 'I've a heerd tell o' that. There were a big battle here atwixt the Danes and them as were o' th' country-side. And an this be Lose Hill, where were the folks buried as were killed i' th' fight? What's yon mound?' he says, peering wi' his head o' one side, and his sharp eyes and barnacles. 'What, thattins? do ye mean Deddun's Mead?' says I. 'That's it,' he goes on. man's Mead' (as if he know'd a deal more o' it nor I, as had lived on it man and boy all my days). 'Ha' ye never digged nor found anything i' th' "lowe ? I cum down sharp on 'im: What would there be? Gold, man?' Nay, friend,' he says, 'nowt but dead men's bones, and pikeheads, and cracked jugs mebbe.""

*Burial mound.

"And what for should

I wonder?" put in Nanny.

ye fash yersen wi' thattins,

Mebbe

"Well and that's just what I says to un. 'I want na bones, nor cracked jugs; there's eneuch o' them, and porringers too, i' th' house, wi' a' the lads and lasses break!' Wi' that he laughed right out -ye could ha' heerd him right over the hill. ye're in the right there, my man; they wouldn't be o' much account to you!' and a looked so queer out o' his eyes; and I heerd arter as it mun ha' been Squire Rivers from that side country! Well-a-day, what maggots them quality does tak' up wi'; 'cos. they hasn't nowt else to do, I take it! But if I'd ha' know'd it were the old squire I wouldna ha' made so free."

"Well, ye'd the best on him about the jugs anyhow," said Nanny, cheerfully.

“Ay, that had I; hadn't I?" repeated the old man, much pleased. "I tuk the change out on him there, I did."

After all, Nanny had brought a charm with her, and approved herself a good leech. Ashford improved from that time. She had amused him, and listened admiringly to him, two of the best sedatives known in any pharmacopoeia.

CHAPTER X.

FERN-CUTTING ON THE DRUID'S HILL.

And fare ye weel, my only luve,

And fare ye weel awhile,

And I will come again, my luve,

Tho' it were ten thousand mile.-BURNS.

It was a beautiful day late in October about a month after. "German," said his father, coming wearily into the house, 66 we mun ha' more bracken cut for fodder down i' th' Parson's Lot. Ye mun go down to-day, or it'll be too wet. I do b'leeve there ain't the kip o' a single heifer upo' the whole lot. I mun get what I can out of it. I were a fool to promise thretty shillin' a year for't,—the meresmen said as how it werena much above three acre. The old mare can git with the cart as far as the gate. I canna go, and Cassie'd better go i' th' stead to help thee."

German knew that it was much too late in the season for cutting bracken, but nothing was ever done in time at Stone Edge; and he and his sister took their sickles in silence and went down as they were desired. Nothing, in fact, could be less re