212 IDLEHURST: 



" There's another thing they does," he begins 

 again, as Polly checks at the hill up to Dudman's 

 Gate, and the reins can mind themselves as she snorts 

 her way up the long elm-shadowed rise ; " about 

 lowering rents. They'll hardly ever take anything 

 off for an old tenant ; but when they've got a farm on 

 their hands, they'll cut it down for a new tenant as 

 they don't know much about. Last year there was 

 Clark, what was over at Framepost, near Rispham 

 village, and Joe Tester at Camomile Cross, this side 

 o' Blackhatch in our perrish ; they'd both on 'em been 

 at their landlords to take something off the rent, 

 and they wouldn't. So they settled it between them- 

 selves. The farms was about the same size, and not 

 much to choose between them ; Joe had got mostly a 

 bargetty soil, but very good water and there was a 

 beautiful bit of garden at Framepost. So they both 

 gives notice for Michaelmas, and just changes over, 

 and both the landlords puts the rent down twenty 

 or twenty-five pounds. That's not what I calls 

 sense ; not in no fashion." 



As we reach the crossways at the top of the hill, 

 we fall in with other marketers, driving beasts on 

 foot, or carting pigs and calves. I observe that 

 our calf attracts notice, and say so to Avery. He 

 allows that it's a " middlin' good calf ; " he don't hold 



