272 IN THE GREEN LEAF 



over the tree-tops ; men of their inches, who 

 could use both hands well. 



"Til come with you to-night, K , and if 



I have the luck to fall in with the leader of 

 that gang of ruffians, leave him to me, and let 

 the best man win." 



" Squire squire pardon me for saying it, 

 -but don't come. Think of the mistress, and 

 your young sons. Not only that, think for the 

 whole estate. It will be worse if you do come ; 

 all the lot of us will have our hearts in our 

 mouths, thinking about you ; and we shall fight 

 half-hearted." 



"You're a nice wet blanket, stopping the 

 fun ; but, looking at it from your point of 

 view, I may as well sit up in the gun-room 

 and wait for prisoners." 



"If we do get the leader without hurting 

 him, we'll bring him to you, squire ; then you 

 can have it out with him, in good style, give 

 and take, with the lot of us there to see fair 

 play." 



The leader was brought in, and four men 

 with him, but he was in too dilapidated a 

 condition to require any more rib-binders and 

 upper cuts; he had got his whack, so had the 

 others. Some of the keepers were slightly 



