When the cart and its contents and followers arrived at the Ray, the horse was taken out, and the vehicle was run against a rick of hay, into which the shafts were deeply thrust, so as to keep the cart upright, that it might serve as a rostrum for the auctioneer.
'We'll go and take stock first,' said the clerk; 'we've to raise twenty-five pounds for the debt and twenty shillings my costs. What is there to sell?'
'Wait a bit, gaffer,' said the cattle jobber; 'you're a trifle too quick. The old lady must demand the money first.'
'I'm agoing to do so, Mr. Mellonie,' said Mrs. De Witt; 'you teach your grandmother to shell shrimps.' Then, looking round on about twenty persons who had assembled, she said, 'Follow me. Stay! here comes more. Oh! it is Elijah Rebow and his men come to see fair play. Come by water have you, Elijah? We are not going to sell anything of yours, you needn't fear.'
She shouldered her umbrella like an oar, and strode to the house door. Mrs. Sharland was there, white and trembling.
'Have you got my money?' asked Mrs. De Witt.
'Oh, mistress,' exclaimed the unfortunate widow, 'do have pity and patience. Mehalah has just gone to get it.'
'Gone to get it?' echoed Mrs. De Witt. 'Why, where in the name of wonder does she expect to get it?'
'She had gone to Parson Tyll to borrow it.'
'Then she won't get it,' said the drover. 'There's no money to be wrung out of empty breeches pockets.'
'Let me into the house,' said Mrs. De Witt. 'Let us all see what you have got. There's a clock. Drag it out, and stick it up under the tree near the cart. That is worth a few pounds. And take that chair.'
'It is my chair. I sit in it, and I have the ague so bad.'
'Take the chair,' persisted Mrs. De Witt, and Rebow's men carried it forth. 'There's some good plates there. Is there a complete set?'
'That is better than none. Out with them. What have you got in the corner cupboard?'
'We'll sell the cupboard and the dresser. You can't move the dresser, Elijah. We'll carry it in our heads. Look at it,' she said to the clerk; 'see you don't forget to put that up. Now shall we go into the bedrooms, or go next to the cowhouse?'
'Leave the bedroom,' said Mellonie, 'you can't sell the bed from under the old woman.'