No one works after midday, sir."

"I say, wouldn't this be a paradise for the English workingman?" said
Deppingham. "That's the kind of a day's labor they'd like. Do you mean
to say that these fellows trudge eight miles to work every morning and
back again at noon?"

"Certainly not, sir. They ride their thoroughbred horses to work and
ride them back again. It's much better than omnibuses or horse cars, I'd
say, sir--as I remember them."

"You take my breath away," said the other, lapsing into a stunned
silence.

The road had become so steep and laborious by this time that Bowles was
very glad to forego the pleasure of talking. He fell back, with Mr.
Saunders, and ultimately both of them climbed into the already
overloaded second cart, adding much to the brown man's burden. After
regaining his breath to some extent, the obliging Mr. Bowles, now being
among what he called the lower classes, surreptitiously removed the
tight-fitting red jacket, and proceeded to give the inquisitive lawyer's
clerk all the late news of the island.

The inhabitants of Japat, standing upon their rights as part owners of
the mines and as prospective heirs to the entire fortune of Messrs.
Skaggs and Wyckholme, had been prompt to protect themselves in a legal
sense. They had leagued themselves together as one interest and had
engaged the services of eminent solicitors in London, who were to
represent them in the final settlement of the estate. London was to be
the battle ground in the coming conflict. A committee of three had