TIGER'S TEETH 113 



table, and were taking deep draughts of 

 the beer. They had finished the two gallons 

 when a succession of heavy blows came on 

 the door; these ceased, and there was a 

 great thudding on the roof. 



At first they thought it was the police- 

 man. Rural folk are usually terrified at 

 the idea of the law; they have the simple 

 imagination of children. 



" Come in, zur," quavered Mrs. Tiger. 



Aaron, who was a devout chapel-goer, 

 began to tremble. 



" It be a ghostie! " he whispered. 



" Git out! " scoffed Mrs. Tiger, for she 

 had seen two large black shapes that she 

 recognised pass across the little window. 



Sure enough, the old ravens had dis- 

 covered their young. The curious thing, 

 Muggy emphasised, was that there had been 

 no sign of them either during Tiger's climb 

 or afterwards, while the three men were 

 tramping the three miles to his cottage, 

 nor had they heard any croaking. 



