下载辰思小说免费APP
Thecarrierswenton，andStockdaleandMrs。Newberryfollowedatadistanceofastone’sthrow。’Whatdothesemendobyday？’hesaid。
’Twelveorfourteenofthemarelabouringmen。Somearebrickmakers，somecarpenters，someshoe-makers，somethatchers。
Theyareallknowntomeverywell。Nineof’emareofyourowncongregation。’
’Ican’thelpthat，’saidStockdale。
’O，Iknowyoucan’t。Ionlytoldyou。Theothersaremorechurch-
inclined，becausetheysupplythepa’sonwithallthespiritsherequires，andtheydon’twishtoshowunfriendlinesstoacustomer。’
’Howdoyouchoose’em？’saidStockdale。
’Wechoose’emfortheircloseness，andbecausetheyarestrongandsurefooted，andabletocarryaheavyloadalongwaywithoutbeingtired。’
Stockdalesighedassheenumeratedeachparticular，foritprovedhowfarinvolvedinthebusinessawomanmustbewhowassowellacquaintedwithitsconditionsandneeds。Andyethefeltmoretenderlytowardsheratthismomentthanhehadfeltalltheforegoingday。Perhapsitwasthatherexperiencedmannerandholdindifferencestirredhisadmirationinspiteofhimself。
’Takemyarm，Lizzy，’hemurmured。
’Idon’twantit，’shesaid。’Besides，wemayneverbetoeachotheragainwhatweoncehavebeen。’
’Thatdependsuponyou，’saidhe，andtheywentonagainasbefore。
ThehiredcarrierspacedalongoverChaldonDownwithaslittlehesitationasifithadbeenday，avoidingthecart-way，andleavingthevillageofEastChaldonontheleft，soastoreachthecrestofthehillatalonelytracklessplacenotfarfromtheancientearthworkcalledRoundPound。Anhour’sbriskwalkingbroughtthemwithinsoundofthesea，notmanyhundredyardsfromLulsteadCove。
Heretheypaused，andLizzyandStockdalecameupwiththem，whentheywentontogethertothevergeofthecliff。Oneofthemennowproducedanironbar，whichhedrovefirmlyintothesoilayardfromtheedge，andattachedtoitaropethathehaduncoiledfromhisbody。Theyallbegantodescend，partlystepping，partlyslidingdowntheincline，astheropeslippedthroughtheirhands。
’Youwillnotgotothebottom，Lizzy？’saidStockdaleanxiously。
’No。Istayheretowatch，’shesaid。’Owlettisdownthere。’
Themenremainedquitesilentwhentheyreachedtheshore；andthenextthingaudibletothetwoatthetopwasthedipofheavyoars，andthedashingofwavesagainstaboat’sbow。Inamomentthekeelgentlytouchedtheshingle，andStockdaleheardthefootstepsofthethirty-sixcarriersrunningforwardsoverthepebblestowardsthepointoflanding。
Therewasasousinginthewaterasofabroodofducksplungingin，showingthatthemenhadnotbeenparticularaboutkeepingtheirlegs，oreventheirwaists，dryfromthebrine:butitwasimpossibletoseewhattheyweredoing，andinafewminutestheshinglewastrampledagain。Theironbarsustainingtherope，onwhichStockdale’shandrested，beganto
