DABBER HARDING AND OLD SARAH. 89 



"How is it ? a good one, Dabber? " He 

 sprang over the hedge into the road, and had 

 reached his father's house before I could follow ; 

 here he ran to earth with both gun and hare. 

 " Hum," thought I as he disappeared. " If I 

 don't look out this will be another tame sandy 

 rabbit job ; he'll be after bringing some of his 

 workshop mates, to swear he was in his work- 

 shop from five 'till eight this morning." So I 

 went straight to the workshops, up by Chesham 

 waterside. 



As soon as I reached the timber yard I found 

 two sawyers hard at work, near the entrance, 

 and the moment the top-sawyer caught sight of 

 me he sang out : — 



" Whoa, stop, you there ! " Then turning to 

 his mate he said : — " Here's a lark, Dabber' s 

 done for a crown ; ain't he Jack ? " 



" Yes," said I. *' He's all right." 



I proceeded to walk up the yard, when, one 

 after another, the men came out of the work- 

 shops, saying : — 



" Dabber' s caught, for a shilling ; ain't it so 

 Jack?" 



