At that moment all the unhired serving maids rushed to Sir Tristram and crowded about him and began their eternal, "I can bake, sir, I can brew, sir," etc., and begged him to hire them. Now this was the last straw, and Sir Tristram looked for Martha and Nancy to come to his assistance, but they only shrieked with laughter and urged the girls on. Meantime, Plunkett and Lionel had approached them, and, when Martha noticed that they were about to speak, she became a little frightened.
"Oh, see how they are looking at us!" she gasped to Nancy.
"Well, I can't say I mind it. I am willing to be seen," Nancy laughed, still more giddily than Lady Harriet.
"I'd like her to do the cooking," Plunkett remarked aside to Lionel and pointing to Nancy.
"I think it would be best to hire them both."
"Well, that might be a good plan. Go up and bargain with them."
"I do not dare," Lionel answered, hanging back.
"Pooh! Then I must show you, now then--er--now then--er--ahem!" Plunkett, too, found himself embarrassed. In fact, the women did not seem at all like the other serving maids, though their clothing was that of the others.
"Pooh, they'll never dare ask us!" Nancy told Martha.
"No, come on! Let's go!" and they turned away. At that Lionel became excited.
"We shall lose them altogether! They are going!"
So then Plunkett got up courage and went to them.
"Damsels, listen! We would hire you. Have you ears? If your floors and platters glisten, ye shall stay with us for years!"
"Yes--for--for years," Lionel managed to say.
"What, as your servants?" Lady Harriet gasped. Nancy laughed.
"You are laughing?" Lionel said. He was very anxious to hire them. They were quite the handsomest serving maids he had ever seen.
"No trouble about that," Plunkett declared. "If she laughs, she will certainly be good-natured about her work."
"What work?" Lady Harriet and Nancy said in one breath.
"Oh, you are for the farmyard," Plunkett replied, reassuringly to Lady Harriet, "to keep the house and stable clean, you know. And you," to Nancy, "are to do the cooking."
"You don't mean that this tender creature is to clean stables, brother?" Lionel demanded impulsively.
"Well, she might work in the garden instead if she prefers it. Fifty crowns shall be your wages; and, to be brief, everything found! Beer and cheese for supper on week days; and on Sundays, good roast beef."