LOW PRICES AND LONG FACES. 159 



" Take care ! take care ! " said the other, turning 

 quickly in his saddle, as the fore-horse of a wagon- 

 team turned suddenly at full trot down hill from a 

 side lane, into the high-road, grazing Mr. Greening's 

 unspurred foot with the point of the leader's stretcher, 

 and bringing the whole team, and the wagon after 

 them rumbling round the corner, a very near shave 

 and at the imminent risk of spilling a sack or two 

 of Wheat that lay not very safely on the near-side 

 shel'-board. 



"Ay! there ye go," said Mr. Greening, rather 

 angrily, as his hot and rough-coated nag jumped 

 with some alacrity against the pathway out of reach 

 of the wheels, pressing the other rider pretty close 

 to the ditch, as the wagon passed on before them 

 " there you go, Mr. Cropfield, with your new wheat 

 and your Straw again ! I wonder how many sacks 

 to the acre you've grown upon last year's Oat- 

 stubble this time! Do look at the boultings, Sir! 

 That's for litter for the team I suppose! He's 

 late to market with that load ; no wonder the' 

 go so fast. "Well, if it ain't enough to make an 

 honest head ache to see that ! " added the indignant 

 farmer, in a tone of unusual sarcasm. "That's 

 what I call taking the new-laid eggs to market, and 

 the hen along? 



