Brown's been cookin' for yous. Nothin' like a bit o' batchin' ter teach
a cove. An' you mind, Captin--if you start anywhere on yer own, you
batch decent; keep things clean an' don't get into the way o' livin'
just any'ow. I ain't much, nor the meenoo ain't excitin'; but things is
clean."
"Well--I have a sister," said Bob. "So I'm in luck. But I guess I know a
bit more about her side of the job now."
"And that's no bad thing for Tommy," said Jim.
"Oo's 'e?" demanded Joe.
"Oh--that's his sister."
"Rum names gals gets nowadays," said Joe, pondering. "Not on'y gels,
neither. 'S a chap on top of the 'ill 'as a new baby, an' 'e's called it
'Aig Wipers Jellicoe. 'Course, 'e did go to the war, but 'e ain't got
no need ter rub it into the poor kid like that." He paused to ram the
tobacco into the bowl of his pipe with a horny thumb. "One thing--I'd
like to pay you chaps somethin'. Never 'ad blokes workin' fer me fer
nothin', an' I don't much care about it."
"No, thanks, Mr. Howard," said Jim. "We came for colonial experience."
"You!" said old Joe, and permitted himself the ghost of a grin. "Well,
I ain't goin' ter fight yous about it, an' I'm not worryin' a mighty
lot about you, Major, 'cause your little bit o' country's ready made for
you. But Captin's different. We won't 'ave no fight about cash, Captin;
but that last year's calf of the ol' keow's goin' ter be a pretty decent
steer, an' when you gets yer farm 'e's goin' on it as yer first bit o'
stock.
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