144 THE RING OF NATURE 



blistered at this work, and I be trying to kip it 

 off as long as I can.' 



It is true. Even that slight work produces 

 its own blisters, and bites holes in my skin where 

 the other forms of labour had not bitten. How- 

 ever, while the women work or the day lasts I 

 must work on, especially as the disgrace might 

 come to us of having the waggon catch us up. 



I work next the old man with a weak heart and 

 presently he begins to talk. 



' That was allus my job,' he says, nodding towards 

 the waggon unloading at the rick. ' I could do 

 that all day long and not feel it so much as I do 

 this. Ay, I was as strong as a donkey in those 

 days.' Then, pitching his voice a fifth higher, 

 and sending it through his nose, he repeats, ' As 

 strong as a donkey.' 



When I have heard most of what he wants to 

 tell me about the illness that has laid him low, we 

 begin to talk of agriculture. 



The rent of the farm amounts to about seven- 

 and-sixpence an acre, which is fully twice as much 

 as it is worth, for it is dry and shallow hill land. 

 The next farm, where the land is much richer 

 and kinder, is let at the same rent, for, whereas 

 my friend has been twenty-five years in one place, 

 the next farm has been re-let several times, and 

 each time the rent has been re-adjusted by 

 operation of the open market. 



' Still,' I say, ' it is a mystery to me how so 

 much hard work fails to bring profit to landlord 



