Part 46 (1/2)

”'And what then did you do with the needles?' said the goody.

”'I stuck them in the hay!'

”'Ah!' said his mother. 'You _are_ a born fool. You should have stuck them in and out of your cap.'

”'Well! don't say another word, mother, and I'll be sure to do so next time.'

”Next day, when the lad stood down at the foot of the bridge again, there came a man from the mill with a sack of meal, and wanted to cross.

”'You can't cross till you pay the toll,' said the lad.

”'I've no pence to pay it with,' said the man.

”'Well! You can't cross,' said the lad; 'but goods are good pay.' So he got a pound of meal, and the man had leave to cross.

”Not long after came a smith, with a horse-pack of smith's work, and wanted to cross; but it was still the same.

”'You mustn't cross till you've paid the toll,' said the lad. But he too had no money either; so he gave the lad a gimlet, and then he had leave to cross.

”So when the lad got home to his mother, the toll was the first thing she asked about.

”'What did you take for toll to-day?'

”'Oh! there came a man from the mill with a sack of meal, and he gave me a pound of meal; and then came a smith, with a horse-load of smith's-work, and he gave me a gimlet.'

”'And pray what did you do with the gimlet?' asked the goody.

”'I did as you bade me, mother,' said the lad. 'I stuck it in and out of my cap.'

”'Oh! but that was silly,' said the goody; 'you oughtn't to have stuck it out and in your cap; but you should have stuck it up your s.h.i.+rt-sleeve.'

”'Ay! ay! only be still, mother; and I'll be sure to do it next time.'

”'And what did you do with the meal, I'd like to know?' said the goody.

”'Oh! I did as you bade me, mother. I spread it over the byre-floor.'

”'Never heard anything so silly in my born days,' said the goody; 'why, you ought to have gone home for a pail and put it into it.'

”'Well! well! only be still, mother,' said the lad; 'and I'll be sure to do it next time.'

”Next day the lad was down at the foot of the bridge to take toll, and so there came a man with a horse-load of brandy, and wanted to cross.

”'You can't cross till you pay the toll,' said the lad.

”'I've got no money,' said the man.

”'Well, then, you can't cross; but you have goods, of course;' said the lad. Yes; so he got half a quart of brandy, and that he poured up his s.h.i.+rt-sleeve.

”A while after came a man with a drove of goats, and wanted to cross the bridge.