WARWICK WOODLANDS. 95 



the summits of yet loftier and more rugged steeps towered 

 heavenward. 



Over this valley they had for some time gazed in silence, till 

 now the broad sun sank behind the mountains, and the shrill 

 whistle of the quail, which had been momently audible during 

 the whole afternoon, ceased suddenly ; four or five night-hawks 

 might be seen wheeling high in pursuit of their insect prey 

 through the thin atmosphere, and the sharp chirrup of a soli- 

 tary katydid, the last of its summer tribe, was the only sound 

 that interrupted the faint rush of the rapid stream, which came 

 more clearly on the ear now that the louder noises of busy bab- 

 bling daylight had yielded to the stillness of approaching night. 

 Before long a bright gleam shot through the tufted outline of 

 a dark wooded hill, and shortly after, just when a gray and 

 misty shadow had settled down upon the half-seen landscape, 

 the broad full moon came soaring up above the tree-tops, pour- 

 ing her soft and silver radiance over the lovely valley, and 

 investing its rare beauties with something of romance a sen- 

 timent which belongs not to the gay, gaudy sunshine. 



Just at this moment, while neither of the friends felt much 

 inclined to talk, the door opened suddenly, and Timothy's black 

 head was thrust in, with a query if " they did'nt need t' waax 

 candles ?" 



" Not yet, Tim," answered Archer, " not yet for an hour or 

 so but hold a minute how have the horses fed ?" 



" T* ould gray drayed off directly, and he's gane tull t' loike 

 bricks but t' bay's no but sillyish he keeps a breaking oot 

 again for iver and s'ae Ay'se give him a hot maash enow !" 



" That's right. I saw he wasn't quite up to the mark the 

 last ten miles or so. If he don't dry off now, give him a cor- 

 dial ball out of the tool-chest one of the number 3 camphire 

 and cardamums and ginger ; a clove of garlic, and treacle quan- 

 tum suff : hey, Frank, that will set him to rights, I warrant it. 

 Now have you dined yourself, or supped, as the good people 

 here insist on calling it ?" 



" Weel Ay wot, have I, sur," responded Timothy ; " an hour 

 agone and better." 



" Exactly ; then step out yourself into the kitchen, and make 

 us a good cup of our own coffee, strong and hot, do you see 1 

 and when that's done, bring it in with the candles ; and, hark 

 you, run up to the bed-room and bring my netting needles 

 down, and the ball of silk twist, and the front of that new 



