leather the brute this minute "-and he started along the gallery. "But where's the use? I'm a fooil, and that's the measure of it," he desponded. "I don't know what I'm stopping here for-I'll none get my own way, I nivver do. What's he send for me for, and then be as jealous as a billy? brings the mare, I'm off.”

Soon as Chilcutt

He sat down again, glum; he baited the bent pin, he dropped the worm into the water skilfully; but to no avail. He angled and cooled his temper; he changed his bait and his resolve. For half an hour he angled, but never a fish emerged.

"Dom that perch!" the yeoman said.

269

CHAPTER XXVI.

TELLS HOW THEY TOOK THEIR FLIGHT.

In every hedge and ditch, both day and night,
We fear our death, of every leafe affright.

-Divine Weeks and Workes, i., 3.

I hold a mouse's wit not worth a leke,

That hath but one hole for to sterten to.

-The Wife of Bathe's Prologue.

She knows her man, and when you rant and swear,
Can draw you to her by a single hair.

-Persius, v.

Slaves cannot breathe in England; if their lungs
Receive our air, that moment they are free!
They touch our country, and their shackles fall!

He that repeateth a matter separateth very friends.

-The Task.

-Proverbs xvii. 9.

America! half-brother of the world!
With something good and bad of every land.

-Festus.

Now blessings light on him that first invented this same sleep! It covers a man all over, thoughts and all, like a cloak.

-Don Quixote, ii., 68.

A little neglect may breed mischief; for want of a nail the shoe was lost; for want of a shoe the horse was lost.

-Poor Richard's Almanac, 1757.

270

XXVI.

"YER got to swop, Flamenca," Bosswel Leeke grumbled as the horses came to a standstill again. "I'm sick o' this-I can't go on holdin' the Krallis up all day."

Flamenca frowned. "Non so, I shall not swop! Dahlia shall not ride with you. Dahlia hate you!" The answer was a curse.

"I tell you again, this'll never do," Matt Scargil was arguing. 'You four'd better ride on a bit."

"By gosh! the Squire's right, too," the American agreed. “Makin' a sight too much track. Injuns'd larf. A blind man ud see it!"

"Don't you note how folks stare at us?" the yeoman went on. "D'ye think they won't talk about meeting a party like us? It's no good, this going all of a lump-you four'd better ride on, and me and Chilcutt'll watch behind a bit. If anybody's after us we'll stop 'em, that's all-Jeruel's got pistols."

"Holy glory, Marse Chilcutt, no fightin'!" the negro groaned.

"It's this blackamoor the folks stare at," the Krallis panted. "Curse you, Chilcutt!-what made you bring him along? Send him off-send the brute off at once!"

An' who's going to pay me my hunderd guineas for him, ken ye tell me thet, ye skunk! 'Perny's as good as gypsy varmint, any day!" the American stormed. "Lord love me "-he dropped his voice"I'm forgittin' I'm varmint myself!"

Flamenca half-turned on her perch behind Dahlia, and looked at the American, her hand pressed on the crupper as she leaned towards him. "What for you talk, Jeruel?" she pouted. "You a Rom; Krallis is Krallis. When Krallis say send off your black-aman, you shall him send off. If not, you one false Rom, and Flamenca nevare come under your tent!

"It's right eneugh, Chilcutt, you know-it's the black face we'll be minded by," Matt concurred. 'Jarvey's main sure to ask if anybody's seen a black man. It stands to reason, don't it? Can't you see it does?" The yeoman's tone grew irritated. "Besides, the poor beggar's as tired as tired, trapesing along like a dog, and no horse for him. You don't want him along with you for owt, do you?"

"

Why, no-got no use for the boy half the time," the American agreed. "On'y brung him to cut a shine. On'y I don' wanter loose the guineas, ye see. It's the dern Ab'litionists I'm thinkin' on, not them runners. Bone an' Jarvey ain't arter us, not they— ha'n't got no dogs. . . . But I guess I'll fix it up, if it's Flamenker as wants me to," he went on. "Here, 'Pernicus!"

"Yas, Marse Chilcutt."

"Here's a dollar for ye, boy."

The negro's lips parted in a grin.

"Just ye take keer o' thet keerful, an' no blame wastin' it on no hired gals, ye critter. Jest mosey off back to ole Brazen Sarpint's an' lie low.

stan'?"

"Yas, Marse Chilcutt."

Under

"If ye happens to spot them redbellies comin', jest clip over a hedge an' hide. Understan'?"

"Yas, Marse Chilcutt."

"If any o' them Ab'litionists talks to ye, jest tell 'em ye don' wanter be freed; say ye likes it!"

"Yas, Marse Chilcutt."

Marse Chilcutt still hesitated, however. "If Bone spots his black hide accidently it'll jest put 'em on the trail. 'Tain't safe, I tell ye-I don' know whatter do."

They'll find us anyhow, this gait. What's it matter. We've got pistols," Matt said grimly. "Lordy-massy, Marse 'Cargil, no fightin'"-and the negro hurried away.

With a groan the American let his property depart. "Thet's a hunderd British guineas gone slick," he mourned, as he watched the green-and-yellow livery lessening down the road.

The fugitives had come to a pause at a spot where a spinney of firs cast on the northward road from Okewell the shadows of afternoon. More than three