INSURED
Pasco Pepperill had taken the schoolmaster with him through the
market-place. He was greeted on all sides by acquaintances and would-be
dealers. Pasco’s strut became more consequential as he returned the
salutations, and he looked out of the corners of his eyes at his
companion, to see what impression was made on him by the deference with
which he was received.
“I bought wool--two hundred pounds’ worth--of that man. Coaker is his
name,” said Pasco, indicating a moor farmer jogging in on his cob. “I
bought last Friday. Do you see Ezra Bornagin? There, sneaking behind his
missus. He’s had coals of me all the winter, on tick. Hasn’t paid a
penny, and I’m in doubts whether I shall see the colour of my money. But
I’m not one to be crushed by a few bad debts.” Presently, “There’s the
landlady of the ‘Crown,’ at Newton. She knows where to get good spirits
at a moderate figure--that hasn’t paid duty--tobacco also. Coombe
Cellars is a fine place for a trade in such goods.”
“How d’ y’ do, Pepperill?” said a bluff farmer, coming up and extending
an immense red hand. “Come here to buy or to sell to-day?”
“Both,” answered Pasco. “It doesn’t do to let money lie idle.”
“Ah! if a chap has got money--but when he hasn’t, that’s another matter.
I want to sell.”
“What?”
“Hides; will you buy? Had bad luck with my beasts.”
“Don’t know; I’ll see.”
“It’s terrible bad times,” said the big man.
“I suppose it is--for some folks,” answered Pepperill.
“I say, I hear you’ve got the ‘Swing’ on again down your way.”
“Not quite that, I hope. There has been an incendiary fire, but it was
the work of one man, not of a gang. I reckon the ‘Swing’ conspiracy was
done with in ’30.”
“Don’t be too sure. One fire has a fatal knack o’ kindling others,
’specially if the fellow gets off who did the job.”
“He has escaped,” said Pasco; “but we know pretty well who did the
mischief. It was one Roger Redmore. He’d been turned off for imperence
to his master, and drink, and that’s how he revenged himself. I wish
he’d been caught. A fellow who sets fire a-purpose to rick or barn or
house, if I had my way, would be hung without mercy. No transportation;
that’s too mild. Swing, I say, at a rope’s end, and so put an end to all
incendiarism.”
“I reckon you’re about right,” said the farmer. “If there comes another
fire, I shall get insured. The fellow is at large.”
“Ay, but he won’t do any further mischief of this sort. It was a bit o’
personal revenge, nothing more; not like them old combinations.”
“Well, but who is safe? If I say a word to one of my men that he doesn’t
like, he may serve me as Redmore has served Pooke.”
“That’s true,” said Pepperill. “More’s the reason that Roger should be
made an example of. If I see’d him I’d shoot him down as I would a wild
beast, or hang him, as I might a lamb-worrying dog, with my own
hands--that I would!”
“I know, of those rascals who were sentenced to be hung in ’30, more
than half got off with transportation; and of them as was transported,
most got let off with six or seven years--more’s the pity.”
“We’re too merciful--that’s our fault,” said Pasco. “Show no pity to the
offender,--chief of all, to the incendiary,--and such crimes will soon
be put a stop to. We encourage criminals by our over-gentleness.”
“Well, I hope this firing o’ stacks won’t spread; but it’s like scarlet
fever. What business are you on to-day?”
“I’ve bought the oaks at Brimpts,” said Pepperill.
“So I’ve heard.”
“And I’ve a mind to dispose of the bark.”
“Then here’s your man--Hamley the tanner.”
The man alluded to came up--a tall, handsome fellow, with a cheery face.
“Mr. Hamley,” said Pasco, “you’re the chap I want. I shall have tons o’
bark to sell shortly.”
“Well, Mr. Pepperill, I’m always ready for bark, if the figure suits.
Tan is my trade, you know.”
“I shall have stuff the like of which you have not had the chance of
buying, I’ll be bound. I’ve bought the oaks of Brimpts.”
“What, at Dart-meet?”
“Yes; bought the lot. The timber is three hundred years old; hard as
iron. And conceive what the bark must be when the timber is so good.”
“I doubt if we shall come to terms over that.”
“Why not? You won’t have another chance. What will you give me a ton?”
“Is the bark running now? It is full early. The sap don’t begin to rise
so soon as this,--leastways, not in timber trees,--and the moor is
always three weeks or a month behind the Hams.”
“The bark will be all right, if you will buy. What is the market price?”
“Best bark has been up to seven guineas, but it’s not that now. Five
guineas is an outside price for thirty-year-old coppice.”
“But Brimpts is not coppice--far from it.”
“I know, and the value will be according. Sapling, of some forty years,
comes second, at four guineas; then last quality is timber-bark, if not
too old, say three pound ten.”
“Three pound ten?” echoed Pepperill. “A pretty price, indeed. You do not
understand. Brimpts oaks must be three hundred years old, and so worth
seven guineas a ton.”
“I won’t give three guineas for this bark. Take off a pound for every
hundred years. If I take it, I don’t mind two guineas.”
“Two guineas? that’s not worth having. The bark is first-rate--must be,
it is so tremendous old.”
“That is just what spoils it. We get the tan-juice from the under rind.
We don’t want the crust, or outer bark; that is so much waste. Young
coppice is the best for our purpose, and worth more for tanning than
thrice the value of your old timber. I’ll give you two guineas; not a
penny more. And let me tell you, you’ll have some difficulty in barking
the old trees. The sap is a wonderful ticklish thing to run in them;
it’s like the circulating of blood in old men.”
“Two guineas! I won’t look at ’em,” said Pepperill, and passed on. He
was angry and disappointed. He had reckoned on making a good price out
of the bark. This meeting with Mr. Hamley would have a bad effect on the
schoolmaster. Pepperill turned to him and said, “He’s a cunning file. He
knows the Brimpts bark is worth seven guineas at least, but he’s trying
to drive a bargain. He’ll come round in time, and be glad to buy at my
price.”
“Halloo!”
Pepperill was clapped on the back, and, turning, saw his brother-in-law.
“Pasco, old boy,” said Jason, “is it true you bought his two years’
stock of fleeces off Coaker?”
“Yes, I did.”
“More fool you. What did you pay?”
“Thirteenpence.”
“Done you are. Have you not heard that wool has dropped to tenpence?”
“Jason! it is not true?”
“It is. There have come in several cargoes of Australian wool, finer
than ours; and behind, they say, is simply any amount--mountains of
wool. This comes of your not reading the papers. Coaker knew it, and
that made him so eager to sell. I hear we shall have a further drop. You
are done, old boy, in that speculation. Why did you not consult me? Have
you paid Coaker?”
“I gave him fifty pounds, and a bill at two months.”
“Try what you can do with the Sloggitts. They may want to buy, but don’t
reckon on making more than tenpence. Lucky if you get that. I dare swear
they will offer no more than ninepence.”
Pepperill’s face became white, but he quickly rallied, and said to
Bramber, “That is Quarm all over; he loves a joke, and he thought to
frighten me. I’ll go at once to Sloggitt; I know where to find him. He
has a mill at Buckfastleigh.”
He caught the schoolmaster’s arm, and drew him along with him. He had
not gone many steps before a stranger addressed him--
“Mr. Pepperill, I believe?”
“Certainly.”
“You were pointed out to me. You have done some business with us--the
wood at Brimpts. I am the agent of the bank. I think we oughtn’t to have
come to so hasty a conclusion. The fact is, we hadn’t any idea there was
so much forest timber there. But as it is, of course, it can’t be
helped; only bank rules, you understand, must be observed.”
“And what are they?”
“Well--it is all the same, whether we were dealing with the Duke of
Bedford or with you. Rules are rules, you know.”
“Of course rules are rules. But what are your rules?”
“I’m only an underling; I don’t make rules. It is my duty to see they
are carried out. You comprehend?”
“To be sure; and what are those rules?”
“Well, you are aware in the bank we always expect payment before
delivery. There is the agreement. Mr. Quarm saw our head clerk, and it
is all settled. I just came along over the moor to Ashburton Fair, and
had a look at Brimpts on my way. They sent me, you know, to see that all
is square, and all that sort of thing. I have nothing more to do than
just see that you comprehend the rules.”
“What am I to do?” asked Pepperill sharply.
“Well, well; it is just this. We don’t allow any timber--nothing--to be
removed till full payment has been made, and I see you have already
begun felling.”
“Yes; I suppose my brother-in-law has begun to cut.”
“You know, that’s all right and proper; but rules are rules, and I’m not
my own master. I don’t make regulations; I am held to seeing them
carried out. There’s a matter of a couple of hundred pounds you’ll have
to pay into the bank before a stick is disposed of, or a ton of bark
removed.”
“And when do you demand the money? Will not a bill do?”
“Rules, you see, are rules! they ain’t india-rubber, that you can pull
about to accommodate as is desired. I daresay you want to get the timber
removed as quickly as you can, but, hang it! rules are rules, and you
can’t till the money is paid in cash. Personally I love bills, but the
bank don’t, that’s a fact. I suppose you, or Mr. Quarm, will be over
next week at the bank, and pay up. Then we’ve nothing to say but clear
away the timber and the bark as you can.”
When Pepperill had shaken off the agent of the bank, he turned to
Bramber, and said, “Did you catch his admission? He said that the bank
had made a mistake in letting us have Brimpts wood so cheap. Actually it
sold without ever having seen. Of course I shall pay up; and if I don’t
pocket a thousand pounds out of the transaction, call me a fool.”
A moment later he was touched on the arm, and saw the landlady of the
Crown, Mrs. Fry. She made him a sign, and whispered, “Take care; the
revenue officers have smelt something. Have you a stock by you?”
Pepperill nodded.
“That’s bad. Get rid of it as quick as you can, lest they pay you a
visit. I’ve had a hint.”
“Thanks,” said Pasco, looking uncomfortable.
His visit to Messrs. Sloggitt was more discouraging than he had been led
to expect. Mr. James Sloggitt, who was in Ashburton, told him bluntly
that the firm was indisposed to buy wool at any price. The importations
from Australia had disturbed the market, and there was no knowing to
what extent wool might fall. They would buy nothing till they had
received advice as to how much more foreign wool was coming in.
“That won’t touch me,” said Pasco. “Down it goes in a panic, and up it
will swing in a month or two, and then I shall sell. Come with me to the
Red Lion, and have a glass of ale.”
“Thank you,” said Bramber; “if you will excuse me, I should wish to go
into the fair.”
“There is time enough,” answered Pepperill; “I shall not let you go yet.
What! Jason--here again?”
Quarm limped up, and planted himself in front of him.
“I have hardly had a word with you yet, Pasco. How is my sister--and how
is Kitty?”
“Both pretty middling. Kate is here--in the fair. I left her with Jan
Pooke and his party. Something may come of this, Zerah thinks. Jan has
been mightily attentive since they were together in the boat.”
“Pasco,” said Jason, “that fellow, Roger Redmore, is abroad still.”
“Yes; he has not been caught.”
“If I was you, I would insure.”
“Pshaw! I’m not afraid of fire.”
“There is no telling. You keep such a stock of all kinds of goods in
your place--coals, spirits, wool, hides--and now you are likely to have
bark in. Take my advice and insure, in case of accident.”
“It is throwing good money away.”
“Not a bit. If Pooke had insured, he would not now be the loser to the
tune of fifty pounds.”
“Well; I don’t mind; but if I insure, it shall be for a round sum.”
“Two or three hundred?”
“Bah! A thousand.”
“A thousand?”
“Why not? My stores are worth it.”
“Are they? Stores, and house as well?”
“No, stores alone. I’ll consider about the house.”
“A thousand pounds! You don’t mean it, Pasco?”
“Ay. I’ll insure for one thousand two hundred. I shall have all Coaker’s
wool in, and the Brimpts tan which Hamley won’t buy; and I shall be
having coals in during summer when price is down, to sell in winter when
prices are up. Twelve hundred, Jason; not a penny under.”
“Come on, then, to the office, and have your policy drawn.”
“We do business in a large way,” said Pepperill, turning to Bramber.
“Twelve hundred would not cover my loss, were that scoundrel Redmore to
set fire to my stores. Now I will let you go; may you enjoy yourself.
Come, Jason--twelve hundred!”