Why didn't you tell me before as you wanted a bit o' garden?'
'I can dig it for you, Master Marner,' said the young man in
fustian, who was now by Eppie's side, entering into the conversation
without the trouble of formalities. 'It'll be play to me after I've
done my day's work, or any odd bits o' time when the work's slack. And
I'll bring you some soil from Mr Cass's garden- he'll let me, and
willing.'
'Eh, Aaron, my lad, are you there?' said Silas; 'I wasn't aware
of you; for when Eppie's talking o' things, I see nothing but what
she's a-saying. Well, if you could help me with the digging, we
might get her a bit o' garden all the sooner.'
'Then, if you'll think well and good,' said Aaron, 'I'll come to
the Stone-pits this afternoon, and we'll settle what land's to be
taken in, and I'll get up an hour earlier i' the morning, and begin on
it.'
'But not if you don't promise me not to work at the hard digging,
father,' said Eppie. 'For I shouldn't ha' said anything about it,' she
added, half-bashfully, half-roguishly, 'only Mrs Winthrop said as
Aaron 'ud be so good, and--'
'And you might ha' known it without mother telling you,' said
Aaron. 'And Master Marner knows too, I hope, as I'm able and willing
to do a turn o' work for him, and he won't do me the unkindness to
anyways take it out o' my hands.'
'There, now, father, you won't work in it till it's all easy,' said
Eppie, 'and you and me can mark out the beds, and make holes and plant
the roots.
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