“Yes, and he was right; they gave the men shorter wages than any other farmer, and when there was a holiday given all over the land made ’em do work the night before, and that they did, too, and ploughed by moonlight.”
“But suppose there was no moon,” said Patty, with a laugh, “did they find the men rushlights?”
“Ah, you may make light of the matter, missus, but it’s a fact nevertheless. Still I don’t wish Nettlethorpe any harm; he’s a pinch-and-starve farmer, it is true, but that’s no reason for his being robbed, for after all it can’t be less trouble to them to lose what they came by hardly and honestly than it is for folks as be more open-handed, and we oughn’t be glad that mischief is done to a neighbour, whatever that neighbour may be. ‘Never rejoice at nobody’s downfall,’ my old father used to say, and a good saying it be.”
“You are quite right—it must be a hard blow for them, and it must be harder to find that people are glad because of it. But how did it occur? Whoever could have been wicked enough to commit such an act?”
“Oh, there are plenty who are wicked enough if they only had the chance—you may depend upon that; but I haven’t heard the particulars. I tell you what we’ll do.”
“Well—what?”
“Presently we’ll go up to old mother Bagley’s, and she’ll be sure to know the whole history of the affair by heart—trust her for that.”
“Excellent thought; we’ll pay a visit to the old dame then.”
Soon after this Mrs. Ashbrook went upstairs to put on her things, for the purpose of paying the visit agreed upon.
Upon coming down again she found her husband waiting at the front door, when he scolded her good-humouredly for having been so long with her bonnet and shawl.