"He's been in foreign parts," said a reaper, "and learnt manners, ye see."
"Yes," said another, "that polish will soon wear off."
"Well, caton pawb!" said Gethin, "manners or no manners, man, I never could sit still and see a woman, foreign or Welsh, carry a heavy load without helping her."
The two girls spread the refreshing viands on the grass, and with merry repartee answered the jokes of the hungry reapers.
"'Twill be a jolly supper to-night, Miss Ann; we'll expect the 'fatted calf,'" said one.
"Well, you'll get it," replied Ann; "'tis veal in the cawl, whatever."
"Hast seen Gethin before?" said Will to Morva, observing there was no greeting between them.
"Well, yes," answered the girl, blushing a rosy red under her sunbonnet; "wasn't it at our cottage he slept last night? and indeed there's glad mother was to see him."
"And thee ought to be too," said one of the reapers, "for I'll never forget how thee cried the day he ran away."
"Well, I'll never make her cry again," said Gethin. "Art going at once, lass? Wilt not sit here and have tea with us?" and he drew his coat, which he had taken off for his work, toward her, and spread it on the hedge side.