A QUIET BYE 



rubbing his hand down his coat-sleeve, and raising 

 his face to ascertain the precise amount of the 

 fall. ' Bad go, indeed. Got my Sunday 'at on, too. 

 Hooi, bouys ! did you see th' 'ounds ? ' inquired he 

 of a troop of satchel-slung youths, plodding their 

 ways homeward from school. 



* Y-e-a-s,' at length drawled out one, after a 

 good stare at the inquirer. 



' 'Ow long since ? come, quick, bouy ! ' 



' May be twenty minutes ; just as we com'd past 

 Hookem-Snivey church we see'd fox, and hounds 

 were close ahint he was varra tired.' 



' Twenty minutes/ repeated Mr. Jorrocks, aloud 

 to himself; ' twenty minutes may be a werry long 

 way off by this ; foxes travel fast. Yich way were 

 they a-goin' ? ' 



6 Straight for Staunton-Snivey,' drawled the boy. 



' My vig ! ' exclaimed Mr. Jorrocks, * vot a run ; 

 if we don't kill werry soon, it '11 be pitch dark, and 

 then there '11 be a pretty kittle o' fish th' 'ounds 

 will kill all the ship (sheep) in the country shall 

 have a bill as long as my arm to pay.' 

 H 57 



