"Well, well, so long as they gets there," grunted Gillman. "And what's this here?"
"A pair of steps," said Martin.
"What for?" said Gillman.
"Milkmaids and milkmen," said Martin.
"So they maids have cut too, have they?"
"It was a full moon, you see."
"I dessay. But if they'd gone by the stile they could have hopped it in the dark six months agone," said Old Gillman. And he got over the stile, which was the other way into the orchard and has not been mentioned till now, and came and clapped Martin on the shoulder.
"Women's more trouble," said he, "than they're worth."
"They're plenty of trouble," said Martin; "I've never discovered yet what they're worth."
"We'll not talk of em more. Come up to the house for a drink, boy," said Old Gillman.