Part 31 (1/2)

They told Mrs Winter at lunch, and Jiirl's face was, however, inscrutable, and she gave no sign Ji and she had developed since she caained a certain ease ofand restless; now she was happily cal her influence felt and quietly taking control Jis were done better and cost hiht she needed a rest and he would miss her if she went

”Well,” she said, doubtfully, ”if you are all satisfied----”

”I aine Jake is, but Carrie hasn't told us yet”

Carrie gave hih

”You are kind,” she said ”Mother looks younger than she has looked for long and perhaps we had better accept But it is a big undertaking to drain the in this afternoon However, I don't expect to drain it all right off There's a pretty dry piece where I h for the experiment, and can develop my plans afterwards when I see what the first lot costs”

Carrie laughed and the hint of strain all had felt vanished ”You are certainly the hustling Jim we knew,” she said ”I feel as if ere back in the woods”

After lunch Jiher ground broke off at the edge of a orse, stood a small white house with a roof of rusty iron where the thatch had been The ash had fallen off in places, exposing a rough, granulated wall, for the house was a dabbin, built of puddled clay A as broken and the door hung crookedly Except for a fes of withered potatoes, the garden was occupied by weeds Three or four shellducks, hatched fros, paddled about the creek

”Shanks' dabbin; his father squatted here,” Ji to have trouble with the fellow”

He opened the broken gate and two ined that rheue had stiffened his joints He looked at Jily an ”This house is not fit to live in; I want you to use the cottage at Bank-end instead

There's a good piece of garden and a row of fruit trees”

”Dabbin's bad, but it's mine,” said Shanks ”You canna put o Anyhow, the dabbin isn't yours You have no title to the ground and I understand have been warned off, but on't bother about that Bank-end cottage is dry and comfortable and you can have it for your lifetierdown

Can't you persuade your father?”

”I'ht o' it”

There was silence for a few moments and then Shanks asked: ”What for do you want the bit hoose?”

”I want to pull it down The dyke I' to build starts here and the new cut for the creek arden”

Shanks looked at his son and rean t'

dykeand Shanks turned to Jieese and ducks wad gan”

”It's possible We'll raise good grass and corn instead Dairy cows are worth more than shellducks”

”But you'll niver be letten,” Shanks replied doggedly

”Shucks!” said Jih you have no claiarden, and if needful the sood pay there if you like to work If you'd sooner loaf and shoot, there's the creek and sands”

”'T' lag geese follow marsh,” Shanks insisted

Jim pondered and Jake studied the others He had not seen ood faruns and canoes Shanks and his son were ragged and dirty They slouched and looked slack and dull, although now and then the younger ly Then Jiue about it The dabbin must come down and when you're ready to move to Bank-end you can tellIf this doesn't o where you like”