Should he be civil and friendly, or should he just go in and frighten them all?
As he stood there debating he looked like some mean beast of prey, waiting to spring on his victim.
A cheerful light shone out of one of the little windows, and in the stillness of the night the sound of voices reached him.

One he recognised at once as Huldah's.

A savoury smell of cooking was wafted out to him, and roused him to greater anger.
"That little hussy is a-selling of her baskets, I'll be bound, and she and the old woman live on the fat of the land with the money that they bring.

My baskets, I calls 'em.

It's sheer thieving! A fine old yarn she'll have told, too, and a nice character she'll have give'd me, ugh, the little--" A ripple of laughter sounded through the silence.