` What can town folk know of the nature of housen -- or land ? ' They perched themselves arow on the old hacked oak bench in Lindens garden , looking across the valley of the brook at the fern-covered dimples and hollows of the Forge behind Hobden 's cottage . The old man was cutting a faggot in his garden by the hives . It was quite a second after his chopper fell that the chump of the blow reached their lazy ears . ` Eh -- yeh ! ' said Hal . ' I mind when where that old gaffer stands was Nether Forge -- Master John Collins 's foundry . Many a night has his big trip-hammer shook me in my bed here . Boom-bitty ! Boom-bitty ! If the wind was east , I could hear Master Tom Collins 's forge at Stockens answering his brother , Boom-oop ! Boom-oop ! and midway between , Sir John Pelham 's sledge-hammers at Brightling would strike in like a pack o ' scholars , and '' Hic-haec-hoc '' they 'd say , '' Hic-haec-hoc , '' till I fell asleep . Yes . The valley was as full o ' forges and fineries as a May shaw o ' cuckoos . All gone to grass now ! ' ` What did they make ? ' said Dan . ` Guns for the King 's ships -- and for others . Serpentines and cannon mostly .
When the guns were cast , down would come the XXXXX 's Officers , and take our plough-oxen to haul them to the coast .
Boom-bitty Brightling Dan Hal King cuckoos garden hives night second