Both were again silent.

     "Is there ony country where they talk i' that way?" asked the old woman, looking up from her knitting.

     "Yes, Hannah--a far larger country than England, where they talk in no other way."

     "Well, for sure case, I knawn't how they can understand t' one t'other: and if either o' ye went there, ye could tell what they said, I guess?"

     "We could probably tell something of what they said, but not all--for we are not as clever as you think us, Hannah. We don't speak German, and we cannot read it without a dictionary to help us."

     "And what good does it do you?"

     "We mean to teach it some time--or at least the elements, as they say; and then we shall get more money than we do now."

     "Varry like: but give ower studying; ye've done enough for to-night."

     "I think we have: at least I'm tired. Mary, are you?"

     "Mortally: after all, it's tough work fagging away at a language with no master but a lexicon."