’A were wed in ’em, and a’ll wear ’em to my dyin’ day, or a’ll wear noane at a’.  They’re for making such a pack o’ laws, they’ll be for meddling wi’ my fashion o’ sleeping next, and taxing me for ivery snore a give.  They’ve been after t’ winders, and after t’ vittle, and after t’ very saut to ‘t; it’s dearer by hauf an’ more nor it were when a were a boy:  they’re a meddlesome set o’ folks, law-makers is, an’ a’ll niver believe King George has ought t’ do wi’ ‘t.  But mark my words; I were wed wi’ brass buttons, and brass buttons a’ll wear to my death, an’ if they moither me about it, a’ll wear brass buttons i’ my coffin!’

By this time Harry had arranged a certain course of action with Mrs Robson, conducting the consultation and agreement by signs.  His thread was flying fast already, and the mother and daughter felt more free to pursue their own business than they had done for several days; for it was a good sign that Daniel had taken his pipe out of the square hollow in the fireside wall, where he usually kept it, and was preparing to diversify his remarks with satisfying interludes of puffing.

’Why, look ye; this very baccy had a run for ’t.  It came ashore sewed up neatly enough i’ a woman’s stays, as was wife to a fishing-smack down at t’ bay yonder.  She were a lean thing as iver you saw, when she went for t’ see her husband aboard t’ vessel; but she coom back lustier by a deal, an’ wi’ many a thing on her, here and theere, beside baccy.  An’ that were i’ t’ face o’ coast-guard and yon tender, an’ a’.  But she made as though she were tipsy, an’ so they did nought but curse her, an’ get out on her way.’

‘Speaking of t’ tender, there’s been a piece o’ wark i’ Monkshaven this week wi’ t’ press-gang,’ said Harry.

’Ay! ay! our lass was telling about ’t; but, Lord bless ye! there’s no gettin’ t’ rights on a story out on a woman—­though a will say this for our Sylvie, she’s as bright a lass as iver a man looked at.’

Now the truth was, that Daniel had not liked to demean himself, at the time when Sylvia came back so full of what she had seen at Monkshaven, by evincing any curiosity on the subject.  He had then thought that the next day he would find some business that should take him down to the town, when he could learn all that was to be learnt, without flattering his womankind by asking questions, as if anything they might say could interest him.  He had a strong notion of being a kind of domestic Jupiter.

‘It’s made a deal o’ wark i’ Monkshaven.  Folk had gotten to think nought o’ t’ tender, she lay so still, an’ t’ leftenant paid such a good price for all he wanted for t’ ship.  But o’ Thursday t’ Resolution, first whaler back this season, came in port, and t’ press-gang showed their teeth, and carried off four as good able-bodied seamen as iver I made trousers for; and t’ place were all up like a nest o’ wasps, when yo’ve set your foot in t’ midst.  They were so mad, they were ready for t’ fight t’ very pavin’ stones.’