THK TRUANT 81 



mioht as well have besought the granite rubbing- 

 post near thcni for all the heed the self-willed 

 creature gave ; he simply went on nibbling. On 

 both occasions she had to come back and fetch 

 him, and thoroughly did he deserve the drumming 

 he got. 



lie disliked being punished, but did not 

 mend his ways. Indeed he grew worse. A 

 few nights later — it was Tuesday, because the 

 Sennen men were at bell-practice — his mother 

 all at once missed him and, going back, 

 •found him standing on his hind legs gazing 

 at a scarecrow. The beaver-hatted object had 

 excited his curiosity, and he was waiting to 

 see it move. That was no great offence : 

 before two hours had passed, however, the 

 incorrigible fellow gave her the slip, and by 

 making use oi' the "leaping" ruse she had 

 taught him, prevented her from tracing him. 

 She gave him up for lost ; but the truant was 

 happy enough, roaming amidst the barley or 

 playing among the shadows cast by a stone- 

 circle, confident in his knowledge of the country 

 and his ability to find his way back to the hill. 

 Yet he must have had misgivings or got scared, 

 for he returned to the Carn at a very early 

 hour ; and there his mother found him looking 

 sheepish enough after his spell of freedom. She 



