whose estate lay in the neighbourhood. The English drover applied to
the bailiff on the property, who was known to him. It chanced that the
Cumbrian Squire, who had entertained some suspicions of his manager's
honesty, was taking occasional measures to ascertain how far they were
well founded, and had desired that any inquiries about his enclosures,
with a view to occupy them for a temporary purpose, should be referred
to himself. As, however, Mr. Ireby had gone the day before upon a
journey of some miles distance to the northward, the bailiff chose
to consider the check upon his full powers as for the time removed,
and concluded that he should best consult his master's interest
and perhaps his own, in making an agreement with Harry Wakefield.
Meanwhile, ignorant of what his comrade was doing, Robin Oig, on his
side, chanced to be overtaken by a well-looked smart little man upon a
pony, most knowingly hogged and cropped, as was then the fashion, the
rider wearing tight leather breeches, and long-necked bright spurs.
This cavalier asked one or two pertinent questions about markets and
the price of stock. So Donald, seeing him a well-judging, civil
gentleman, took the freedom to ask him whether he could let him know
if there was any grass-land to be let in that neighbourhood, for the
temporary accommodation of his drove. He could not have put the
question to more willing ears. The gentleman of the buckskins was the
proprietor, with whose bailiff Harry Wakefield had dealt, or was in
the act of dealing.

"Thou art in good luck, my canny Scot," said Mr. Ireby, "to have
spoken to me, for I see thy cattle have done their day's work, and I
have at my disposal the only field within three miles that is to be
let in these parts."

"The drove can pe gang two, three, four miles very pratty weel