“Dave turned white as a sheet, and he trembled as he answered back, 'I should be glad to show you respect, if you was a man I could feel any respect for.'
“At that Jedwort caught hold of the iron bar that was sticking in the ground, where he had been making a hole for a stake, and pulled away at it. 'I'll make a stake-hole in you!' says he. 'It's enough to have a sassy hired man round, without bein' jawed by one's own children!'
“Dave was out of reach by the time the bar came out of the ground.
“'Come here, you villain!' says the old man.
“'I'd rather be excused,' says Dave, backing off. 'I don't want any stake-holes made in me to-day. You told me to quit, and I'm going to, You may steal your own meeting-houses in future; I won't help.'
“There was a short race. Dave's young legs proved altogether too smart for the old waddler's, and he got off. Then Jedwort, coming back, wheezing and sweating, with his iron bar, turned savagely on me.
“I've a good notion to tell you to go too!'
“'Very well, why don't ye?' says I. 'Im ready.'
“'There's no livin' with ye, ye're gettin' so dumbed sassy! What I keep ye for is a mystery to me.'
“'No, it a'n't; you keep me because you can't get another man to fill my place. You put up with my sass for the money I bring ye in.'