The Painted Tent Read Online Free PDF Page A

bonnet were red. But after a few days Smiler realized that the clothes were no sure guide because they swopped clothes some days according to their fancy. They lived a bachelor life in a small cottage up the hill from the farm. Smiler never learned where they had come from or what they had done before they began to work for the Duchess, except that he could guess from their talk that they had both been travelling men and knew a great deal about circuses, fairs and gypsy life. This last he knew because when they didn’t want him to know what they were saying they would talk in the Romany language that the Duchess and Jimmy sometimes used.
    The Duchess said to them, ‘Samuel Miles – your new hand. He’s a good lad; work him hard, and treat him fair. He’s been in a spot of trouble, still is – so he’s one of our kind.’ Then, with a look at Smiler, she nodded at the men in turn, saying, ‘That’s Bob and that’s Bill. At least, I think it is.’ With a chuckle she ruffled Smiler’s hair and swept regally out of the barn.
    The two men looked at one another and then at Smiler. Then they walked slowly round him and, as they did so, Bill said, ‘Good
    shoulders.’
Bob said, ‘Stands well.’
Bill said, ‘Wind sound, I should think.’
Bob said, ‘Let’s see how he moves.’
Bill said to Smiler, ‘Trot.’
Smiler said, ‘ Please?’
Bob said, ‘Trot. Once round the barn.’
Suspecting that he was having his leg pulled Smiler gave a grin
    and solemnly trotted round the confined space of the barn.
Bill said, ‘Nice action.’
Bob said, ‘Sprinter?’
Bill shook his head. ‘ No, stayer.’
Bob said, ‘He’ll do then.’
Bill said, ‘Welcome, Samuel Miles.’
‘Thank you,’ said Smiler.
Bob said, ‘You like playing cards?’
Smiler grinned, ‘ Not for money.’
Bill said sadly, ‘She’s warned him.’
‘Pity,’ said Bob. ‘Only thing left is work. This way lad.’
Bill gave Smiler a nod and a wink and went out of the barn,
    and Bob took Smiler in hand, explaining very solemnly what he
    would be expected to do. For Smiler it presented no problems
    because it was going to be much the same work that he had been
    doing in Scotland. There were animals to be fed, cages and pens
    to be mucked out, bedding to be carried, and corn sacks and hay
    bales to be humped, and then helping in all the hundred and one
    seasonal jobs that had to be done around the farm.
The barn they were in was used as a store and a garage for the
    tractor and other farm implements. The other barn, which was
    fitted out with cages and pens, held the boarders which were in
    residence at the moment. Outside in the large field which ran from
    the back of the farm down to the brook, there were at the moment
    two donkeys, a shetland pony, and the house cow. Between the
    two barns was a short run of stables for the horses that would be
    coming during the off season. At the moment they were empty. Bill explained that he and Bob, after they had left work and gone up to their cottage, had been taking it in turns to come down around ten o’clock at night to see that everything was all right in the barn which housed the birds and animals. Now, since Smiler was on hand in the farm, this was to be his duty. Before he went to bed he would make a last inspection and, if he heard a commotion at night, he would have to go out to attend to any trouble.
    Smiler decided that he liked Bob and Bill, though he found it difficult to know when they were being serious or pulling his leg. Up in his room after work where he was getting cleaned up and changed for supper Smiler decided, too, that it had been a lucky moment that had brought Jimmy Jago along the road at the right time to pick him up. ‘ You were lucky, Samuel M.,’ he told himself. ‘And let’s hope the Duchess is right about