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"
"Ah! I see, going to make a purchase. By-the-bye, I believe Mr. Hardie
means to offer you some grounds he is buying outside the town: will that
suit your book?"
"I dare say it will, sir."
"Then perhaps you will wait till our governor comes in?"
"I have no objection."
"He won't be long. Fine weather for the gardens, Mr. Maxley."
"Moderate, sir. I'll take my money if you please. Counting it out, that
will help pass the time till Muster Hardie comes. You han't made away
with it?"
"What d'ye mean, sir?"
"Hardies bain't turned thieves, be they?"
"Are you mad or intoxicated, Mr. Maxley?"
'Neither, sir; but I wants my own, and I wool have it too: so count out
on this here counter, or I'll cry the town round that there door."
"Henry, score James Maxley's name off the books," said Skinner with cool
dignity. But when he had said this, he was at his wits' end: there were
not nine hundred pounds of hard cash in the bank, nor anything like it.

CHAPTER XVI
SKINNER--called "young" because he had once had a father on the
premises--was the mole-catcher.


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