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 right. She got as good as she gave. She looked at me and went all colours, and then she went back to her washtub.

'She was mighty quiet at tea-time―she seemed hurt a lot, and I began to feel sorry I'd laughed at the old man's joke, for she was really a good, hard-working girl, and you couldn't help liking her.

'So after tea I went out to her in the kitchen, where she was washing up, to try and cheer her up a bit. She'd scarcely speak at first, except to say "Yes" or "No," and kept her face turned away from me; and I could see that she'd been crying. I began to feel sorry for her and mad at the old man, and I started to comfort her. But I didn't go the right way to work about it. I told her that she mustn't take any notice of the old cove, as he didn't mean half he said. But she seemed to take it harder than ever, and at last I got so sorry for her that I told her that I'd have her if she'd have me.'

'And what did she say?' asked Mitchell's mate, after a pause.

'She said she wouldn't have me at any price!'

The mate laughed, and Mitchell grinned his quiet grin.

'Well, this set me thinking,' he continued. 'I always knew I was a dashed ugly cove, and I began to wonder whether any girl would really have me; and I kept thinking on it till at last I made up my mind to find out and settle the matter for good―or bad.

'There was another farmer's daughter living close by, and I met her pretty often coming home from