“It’s all of three weeks yet to the Fourth of July, and your corn will cover a turkey by that time.”

“I hope so, but we shan’t be here to see it, more’s the pity, as Sir Tom would say.”

“Do you know, Kate says she won’t go over.  She doesn’t think it would pay for so short a trip.  Why do you insist upon eight weeks?”

“Well, now, I like that!  When did I ever insist on anything, Mrs. Williams?  Not since I knew you well, did I?  But be honest, Polly.  Who has done the cutting down of this trip?  You and the youngsters may stay as long as you please, but I will be back here September 1st unless the Normania breaks a shaft.”

“I wish we could go over on a German boat.  I hate the Cunarders.”

“So do I, but we must land at Queenstown.  We must put Sir Tom under the sod at that little castle out from Sligo.  Then we can do Holland and Belgium, and have a week or ten days in London.”

“That will be enough.  I do hope Johnson will take good care of my flowers; it’s the very most important time, you know, and if he neglects them—­”

“He won’t neglect them, Polly; even if he does, they can be easily replaced.  But the hay harvest, now, that’s different; if they spoil the timothy or cut the alfalfa too late!”

“Bother your alfalfa!  What do I care for that?  Kate’s coming out with the babies, and I’m going to put her in full charge of the gardens.  She’ll look after them, I’m sure.  I’ll tell you another bit of news:  Jim Jarvis is bound to go with us, Jack says, and he has asked if we’ll let him.”

“How long have you had that up your sleeve, young woman?  I don’t like it a little bit!  That is why you talked so like an oracle a little while ago!  What does Jane say?”

“She doesn’t say much, but I think she wouldn’t object.”

“Of course she can’t object.  You sick a big brute of a man on to a little girl, and she don’t dare object; but I’ll feed him to the fishes if he worries her.”

“To be sure you will, Mr. Ogre.  Anybody would be sure of that to hear you talk.”

“Don’t chaff me, Polly.  This is a serious business.  If you sell my girl, I’m going to buy a new one.  I’ll ask Jessie Gordon to go with us and, if Jack is half the man I take him to be, he’ll replenish our stock of girls before we get back.”

“Who is match-making now?”

“I don’t care what you call it.  I shall take out letters of marque and reprisal.  I won’t raise girls to be carried off by the first privateer that makes sail for them, without making some one else suffer.  If Jarvis goes, Jessie goes, that’s flat.”

“I think it will be an excellent plan, Mr. Bad Temper, and I’ve no doubt that we can manage it.”

“Don’t say ‘we’ when you talk of managing it.  I tell you I’m entirely on the defensive until some one robs me, then I’ll take what is my neighbor’s if I can get it.  If it were not for my promise to Sir Tom, I wouldn’t leave the farm for a minute!  And I would establish a quarantine against all giants for at least five years.”