CHAPTER IV. 



" Well, Mrs. Hogben, and what is the matter ? I got your 

 note." 



The Squire pulled up at the gate of a cottage garden and 

 addressed a buxom, good-looking woman who was evidently 

 waiting to speak to him. 



" Well, Squire, it's like this." She dived into a small 

 shed and produced five headless chickens almost fit for the 

 table. " Now, how'd Miss Lavvy like this ? " 



" Not at all, Mrs. Hogben," that young lady replied. *' Do 

 you shut them up at night ? " 



'' Lor' bless 'ee, yes, miss, but this here were done by day." 



'' Rats, missis, rats," the Squire said with a twinkle in his 

 eye. 



''You knows better than that. Squire; but I saw 'im 

 going off with one with my own eyes." 



" I can't help being a poor man, my good woman, other- 

 wise we'd have things different. Well " — putting a half- 

 sovereign into her hand — " we will have a look for him, and 

 bustle him about, too, if we can find him." 



He glanced at the gorse-patched hill above him, and rode 

 on with his hounds clustering round his horse before the 

 echo of thanks and " Well, you be a gentleman, sure," could 

 reach him. 



" Are we going to look for a fox ? " Jack asked, riding 

 alongside Miss Badsworth. "They'll bustle him, but I don't 

 suppose they would catch him." The young lady pretended 

 to be offended. 



"They might. It wouldn't be the first time," was all she 

 said. 



21 



