andtherewasseldomamorningthathedidnotmanagetosecureahandfulofhardcurds，indefianceofCharityandofthefarmer’swife。Thelattergoodsoulwasagaunt，angularwoman，who，withanoldblackbonnetonthetopofherhead，thestringsdanglingabouthershoulders，andhergowntuckedthroughherpocket-holes，wentclatteringaboutthedairy，cheese-room，andyard，inhighpattens。Charitywassomesortofnieceoftheoldlady’s，andwasconsequentlyfreeofthefarmhouseandgarden，intowhichshecouldnotresistgoingforthepurposesofgossipandflirtationwiththeheir-apparent，whowasadawdlingfellow，neveroutatworkasheoughttohavebeen。ThemomentCharityhadfoundhercousin，oranyotheroccupation，Tomwouldslipaway；andinaminuteshrillcrieswouldbeheardfromthedairy，“Charity，Charity，theelazyhuzzy，wherebist？“andTomwouldbreakcover，handsandmouthfullofcurds，andtakerefugeontheshakysurfaceofthegreatmuckreservoirinthemiddleoftheyard，disturbingthereposeofthegreatpigs。Herehewasinsafety，asnogrownpersoncouldfollowwithoutgettingovertheirknees；andthelucklessCharity，whileherauntscoldedherfromthedairydoor，forbeing“allushankeringaboutarterourWillum，insteadofmindingMasterTom，“woulddescendfromthreatstocoaxing，tolureTomoutofthemuck，whichwasrisingoverhisshoes，andwouldsoontellataleonhisstockings，forwhichshewouldbesuretocatchitfrommissus’smaid。
Tomhadtwoabettors，intheshapeofacoupleofoldboys，NoahandBenjaminbyname，whodefendedhimfromCharity，andexpendedmuchtimeuponhiseducation。TheywerebothofthemretiredservantsofformergenerationsoftheBrowns。NoahCrookewasakeen，dryoldmanofalmostninety，butstillabletototterabout。HetalkedtoTomquiteasifhewereoneofhisownfamily，andindeedhadlongcompletelyidentifiedtheBrownswithhimself。InsomeremoteagehehadbeentheattendantofaMissBrown，andhadconveyedheraboutthecountryonapillion。Hehadalittleroundpictureoftheidenticalgrayhorse，caparisonedwiththeidenticalpillion，beforewhichheusedtodoasortoffetishworship，andabuseturnpike-roadsandcarriages。Heworeanoldfull-bottomedwig，thegiftofsomedandyoldBrownwhomhehadvaletedinthemiddleoflastcentury，whichhabilimentMasterTomlookeduponwithconsiderablerespect，nottosayfear；andindeedhiswholefeelingtowardsNoahwasstronglytaintedwithawe。Andwhentheoldgentlemanwasgatheredtohisfathers，Tom’slamentationoverhimwasnotunaccompaniedbyacertainjoyathavingseenthelastofthewig。“PooroldNoah，deadandgone，“saidhe；
“TomBrownsosorry。Puthiminthecoffin，wigandall。“
ButoldBenjywasyoungmaster’srealdelightandrefuge。HewasayouthbythesideofNoah，scarceseventyyearsold——acheery，humorous，kind-heartedoldman，fullofsixtyyearsofValegossip，andofallsortsofhelpfulwaysforyoungandold，butaboveallforchildren。ItwashewhobentthefirstpinwithwhichTomextractedhisfirststicklebackoutof“PebblyBrook，“thelittlestreamwhichranthroughthevillage。Thefirststicklebackwasasplendidfellow，withfabulousredandbluegills。Tomkepthiminasmallbasintillthedayofhisdeath，andbecameafishermanfromthatday。Withinamonthfromthetakingofthefirststickleback，Benjyhadcarriedoffourherotothecanal，indefianceofCharity；andbetweenthem，afterawholeafternoon’spopjoying，theyhadcaughtthreeorfoursmall，coarsefishandaperch，averagingperhapstwoandahalfounceseach，whichTomborehomeinrapturetohismotherasapreciousgift，andwhichshereceivedlikeatruemotherwithequalrapture，instructingthecooknevertheless，inaprivateinterview，nottopreparethesamefortheSquire’sdinner。CharityhadappealedagainstoldBenjyinthemeantime，representingthedangersofthecanalbanks；butMrs。Brown，seeingtheboy’sinaptitudeforfemaleguidance，haddecidedinBenjy’sfavour，andfromthenceforththeoldmanwasTom’sdrynurse。Andastheysatbythecanalwatchingtheirlittlegreen-and-whitefloat，BenjywouldinstructhiminthedoingsofdeceasedBrowns。Howhisgrandfather，intheearlydaysofthegreatwar，whentherewasmuchdistressandcrimeintheVale，andthemagistrateshadbeenthreatenedbythemob，hadriddeninwithabigstickinhishand，andheldthepettysessionsbyhimself。Howhisgreat-uncle，therector，hadencounteredandlaidthelastghost，whohadfrightenedtheoldwomen，maleandfemale，oftheparishoutoftheirsenses，andwhoturnedouttobetheblacksmith’sapprenticedisguisedindrinkandawhitesheet。ItwasBenjy，too，whosaddledTom’sfirstpony，andinstructedhiminthemysteriesofhorsemanship，teachinghimtothrowhisweightbackandkeephishandlow，andwhostoodchucklingoutsidethedoorofthegirls’schoolwhenTomrodehislittleShetlandintothecottageandroundthetable，wheretheolddameandherpupilswereseatedattheirwork。
BenjyhimselfwascomeofafamilydistinguishedintheValefortheirprowessinallathleticgames。Somehalf-dozenofhisbrothersandkinsmenhadgonetothewars，ofwhomonlyonehadsurvivedtocomehome，withasmallpension，andthreebulletsindifferentpartsofhisbody；hehadsharedBenjy’scottagetillhisdeath，andhadlefthimhisolddragoon’sswordandpistol，whichhungoverthemantelpiece，flankedbyapairofheavysingle-stickswithwhichBenjyhimselfhadwonrenownlongagoasanoldgamester，againstthepickedmenofWiltshireandSomersetshire，inmanyagoodboutattherevelsandpastimesofthecountry-side。Forhehadbeenafamousback-swordmaninhisyoungdays，andagoodwrestleratelbowandcollar。