76 IN THE WEALD 
he remarked to the landlord, ' Ye ain't seen no 
strangers, hev ye ? ' 
' No, only this gentlemen here ; and you can't call 
him a stranger hardly, for he's been here nearly a 
week now.' 
' No, I don't mean the likes o' him. I aint a born 
fool, not quite, I hopes. Fill this here pint agin, my 
gullet's like a lime-burner's, all through last night's 
work. 'Twas a rum go that ! Our " head un " goin' 
roun' the little covers you knows 'em sees some 
smirches o' sticky stuff on some o' they outside trees. 
Well, he don't say much, but he knowed summut 
wus goin' forrard as hadn't ought ter be, so he comes 
and gives orders fur to watch them covers. We wus 
at it last night.' 
1 Did you get anyone ? ' 
' No, but there was a lot on 'em with lights ; art- 
ful as sin that lot was ! We could see their lights, and 
I think we should 'a had one on 'em, if the blood- 
hound hadn't nosed about at one o' their lanterns 
what they dropped. Old Jack had him in a leash 
fixed to his leather belt. Squire says he ain't tu let 
him run loose on no 'count, an' when there's a tussle 
he ain't to be loosed unless things gets real desprit- 
like. Old Jack feeds him, and looks after him ; an' 
he's the only one as ken handle him. Last night, 
