240 WHAT WILL THEY DO NEXT? 



across the turnip field. In a moment away went 

 the cry in full chorus, Jem swearing like a trooper, 

 and vowing vengeance when he caught them ; 

 but Jem couldn't catch them, being indifferently 

 mounted, and the further he rode the further he 

 was behind, the lot running soon out of sight and 

 hearing, until Shag, after a four-mile circuit over 

 the downs, went to ground in his master's cottage 

 in the next bourne. The old Squire followed in 

 their wake with sundry ejaculations of " Good 

 Heavens ! what will they do next ? What is to be 

 done with them ? Oh ! dear ! oh, dear ! Miss 

 Sharp's Angola cat ! never hear the last of it 1 

 Confound the curs ! I'll hang the lot." 



On arriving at the terminus in the bourne, Jem 

 was found sedulously engaged in the salutary 

 process of flaying these dare-devils to the tune of 

 "war cur dog," and but for the timely appear- 

 ance of the Master, to whom they fled for refuge, 

 the lot would have been dispersed over the coun- 

 try, so greatly were they terrified by Jem's whip 

 and voice. 



" There, Jem," roared the old Squire, puffing 

 and blowing w^ith his unusual exertion, " that 

 will do ; let 'em alone now, they have had quite 

 enough whipcord for one day." 



" They harn't had a quarter enough on it, sir," 



