[Pg 77] [Pg 77] 'Rubbish!' said Oswald kindly; and we flew back, us boys dragging Eliza with us. There didn't seem to be much furniture in the house, but when we began to move it, it at once seemed to multiply itself with the rapidity of compound interest. We got all the clothes out first, in drawers and clothes-baskets, and tied up in sheets. Eliza wasn't much use. The only thing she could do was to look for a bed-key to unscrew the iron bedsteads; but Oswald and Dicky toiled on. They carried out chairs and tables and hearthrugs. As Oswald was staggering on under a Windsor armchair, with a tea-tray and an ironing-board under his arms, he ran into a man. 'What's up?' said he. 'Fire!' said Oswald. 'I seed that,' said the man. Oswald shoved the chair and other things on to the man. 'Then lend a hand to get the things away,' he said. And more and more people came, and all worked hard; but Oswald and Dicky did most. Eliza never even found that bed-key, because when she saw people beginning to come thicker and thicker across the fields, like ants hurrying[Pg 78] home, she went out and told everyone over and over again that Honeysett had got the key. [Pg 78] Then a woman came along, and Eliza got her into a corner by the stairs and jawed. I heard part of the jaw. 'An' pore Mrs. Simpkins, her man he's gone to Ashford Market with his beasts and the three other men, and me and my man said we'd have Liz up at my place, her being my sister, so as Honeysett could go off to Romney about the sheep. But she wouldn't come, not though we brought the light cart over for her. So we thought it best Honeysett stayed about his work, and go for the sheep to-morrow.' 'Then the house would ha' been all empty but for her not being wishful to go along of you?' Oswald heard the other say. 'Yes,' said Eliza; 'an' so you see——' 'You keep your mouth
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