“Hadn’t ’e better put that away from the furniture?”

“No gert odds.  ’Also 1 set leading harness; 2 tressels and ironing board; 2 fenders; fire-irons and fire-dogs; 1 old oak chest; 1 wardrobe; 1 Brussels carpet (worn in 1 spot only)—­’”

“Ban’t worn worth namin’.”

“Ess fay, ’tis wheer I sit Sundays—­’9 feet by 11; 3 four-prong dung forks.’  I’ll move them.  They doan’t come in none tu well theer, I allow. ‘5 cane-seated chairs, 1 specimen of wax fruit under glass.’”

“I caan’t paart wi’ that, lovey.  Faither gived it to me; an’ ’twas mother’s wance on a time.”

“Well, bein’ a forced sale it ought to go.  An’ seein’ how Miller’s left us to sail our awn boat to hell—­but still, if you’m set on it.”

He crossed it out, then suddenly laughed until the walls rang.

“Hush!  You’ll wake everybody.  What do ’e find to be happy about?”

“I was thinkin’ that down in them furrin, fiery paarts we’m gwaine to, as your wax plums an’ pears’ll damned soon run away.  They’ll melt for sartin!”

“Caan’t be so hot as that!  The li’l gal will never stand it.  Read on now.  Theer ban’t much left, surely?”

“Scores o’ things! ’1 stuffed kingfisher in good case with painted picture at back; 1 fox mask; 1 mahogany 2-lap table; 1 warming-pan; Britannia metal teapot and 6 spoons ditto metal; 5 spoons—­smaller—­ditto metal.’”

“I found the one us lost.”

“Then ’tis ‘6 spoons—­smaller—­ditto metal.’  Then, ’ironing stove; 5 irons; washing boiler; 4 fry pans; 2 chimney crooks; 6 saucepans; pestle and mortar; chimney ornaments; 4 coloured almanacs—­one with picture of the Queen—­’”

“They won’t fetch nothin’.”

“They might.  ’Knife sharper; screen; pot plants; 1 towel-rail; 1 runner; 2 forms; kitchen table; scales and weights and beam; 1 set of casters; 4 farm horses, aged; 3 ploughs; 1 hay wain; 1 stack of dry fern; 1-1/2 tons good manure; old iron and other sundries, including poultry, ducks, geese, and fowls.’  That’s all.”

“Not quite; but I caan’t call to mind much you’ve left out ’cept all the china an’ linen.”

“Ah! that’s your job.  An’ I just sit here an’ brought the things to my memory, wan by wan!  An’ that bit at the top came easy as cutting a stick!”

“‘Tis a wonnerful piece o’ work!  An’ the piano, Will?”

“I hadn’t forgot that.  Must take it along wi’ us, or else send it down to mother.  Couldn’t look her in the faace if I sold that.”

“Ban’t worth much.”

“Caan’t say.  Cost faither five pound, though that was long ago.  Anyway I be gwaine to buy it in.”

Silence then fell upon them.  Phoebe sighed and shivered.  A cock crew and his note came muffled from the hen-roost.  A dim grey dawn just served to indicate the recumbent carcasses without.

“Come to bed now an’ take a little rest ‘fore marnin’, dearie.  You’ve worked hard an’ done wonders.”