And I won't do any more." "Because you won't ask a favour of him ?" "No! I will not ask a favour of him." Austin looked at the boy steadily.

"You prefer to receive a favour from poor Tom Bakewell ?" At Austin's enunciation of this obverse view of the matter Richard raised his brow.

Dimly a new light broke in upon him.

"Favour from Tom Bakewell, the ploughman?
How do you mean, Austin ?" "To save yourself an unpleasantness you permit a country lad to sacrifice himself for you?
I confess I should not have so much pride." "Pride!" shouted Richard, stung by the taunt, and set his sight hard at the blue ridges of the hills.
Not knowing for the moment what else to do, Austin drew a picture of Tom in prison, and repeated Tom's volunteer statement.

The picture, though his intentions were far from designing it so, had to Richard, whose perception of humour was infinitely keener, a horrible chaw-bacon smack about it.