Talk about love sweetening toil, that does." Hardy changed the subject, and Nugent, nothing loath, discoursed on his wanderings and took him on a personally conducted tour through the continent of Australia.

"And I've come back to lay my bones in Sunwich Churchyard," he concluded, pathetically; "that is, when I've done with 'em." "A lot of things'll happen before then," said Hardy.
"I hope so," rejoined Mr.Nugent, piously; "my desire is to be buried by my weeping great-grandchildren.

In fact, I've left instructions to that effect in my will--all I have left, by the way." "You're not going to keep on at this water-side work, I suppose ?" said Hardy, making another effort to give the conversation a serious turn.
"The foreman doesn't think so," replied the other, as he helped himself to some whisky; "he has made several remarks to that effect lately." He leaned back in his chair and smoked thoughtfully, by no means insensible to the comfort of his surroundings.

He had not been in such comfortable quarters since he left home seven years before.

He thought of the untidy litter of the Kybirds' back parlour, with the forlorn view of the yard in the rear.