"Send that other man away," said Meldon, "and listen to me while I speak to you."
"Mickey," said Callaghan to his fellow-labourer, "let you be off with you and get the potatoes earthed up beyond in the garden. It's wonderful, so it is, the way you'd take a delight in sitting there all day and not doing a hand's turn."
Mickey went off, still grinning. He had no intention of earthing up the potatoes. Digging is hard work, not to be lightly undertaken on a hot afternoon. Meldon watched him out of sight, and then turned to Callaghan.
"I'm speaking confidentially to you," he said, "and I hope that nothing I say will—"
"Take care," said Callaghan, "that you wouldn't wake herself, talking so loud and all."
Meldon looked at Miss King.
"She seems pretty sound," he said, speaking more softly.
"It's tired she is, the creature,", said Callaghan. "It would be a shame to wake her, though I wouldn't care myself for the notion of sleeping in one of them new-fashioned beds."
"What I want to say to you is this," said Meldon. "You know Mr. Simpkins, of course?"
"I do."