“Humph! Can he forge a bill-hook or a scythe blade?”
“Oh, yes!”
“Who’s ’venting the noo steel?”
“Oh, they are all helping! It was Uncle Richard who first started it.”
“Oh, Uncle Richard, was it?” he said thoughtfully. “Well, it won’t niver do.”
“Why?”
“Snap a two, and never bear no edge.”
“Who says so?”
“Traäde,” he cried. “Steel was good enough as it weer.”
Just then, as luck had it, Uncle Jack came into the smithy, and stood and watched the man as he scowled heavily and flourished out the hot steel as if he resented being watched.