that he had been
sent out with the cows, and would be back by breakfast-time.

As soon as he had brought home the post-bag, he dashed across the road
again, but came back in a few moments, looking beside himself.

'He's gone!' he said, and threw himself back in a chair.

'Gone!' cried Mrs. King and Ellen with one voice, quite aghast.

'Gone!' repeated Harold. 'The farmer hunted him off this morning! Missus
will have it that he's been stealing her eggs, and that there was a
lantern in the stable on Friday night; so they told him to be off with
him, and he's gone!'

'Poor, poor boy! just when my Lady would have been the making of him!'
cried Ellen.

'But where--which way is he gone?' asked Mrs. King.

'I might ride after him, and overtake him,' cried Harold, starting up,
'but I never thought to ask! And Mrs. Shepherd was ready to pitch into
me, so I got away as soon as I could. Do you run over and ask, Ellen;
you always were a favourite.'

They were in such an eager state, that Ellen at once sprang up, and
hastily throwing on her bonnet, ran across the road, and tapped at Mrs.
Shepherd's open door, exclaiming breathlessly, 'O Ma'am, I beg your
pardon, but will you tell me where Paul Blackthorn is gone?'

'Paul Blackthorn! how should I know?' said Mrs. Shepherd crossly. 'I'm
not to be looking after thieves and vagabonds. He's a come-by-chance,
and he's a go-by-chance, and a good riddance too!'

'Oh but, Ma'am, my Lady wanted to speak to him.'

This only made Mrs. Shepherd the more set against the poor boy.

'Ay, ay, I know--coming over the gentry; and a good thing he's gone!'
said she. 'The place isn't to be harbouring thieves and vagrants, or
who's to pay the rates? My eggs are gone, I tell you, and who should
take 'em but that lad, I'd like to know?'

'Them was two rotten nest-eggs as I throwed away when I was cleaning the
stable.'

'Who told you to put in your word, John Farden?' screamed Mrs. Shepherd,
turning on him. 'Ye'd best mind what ye're about, or ye'll be after him
soon.'

'No loss neither,' muttered John, stopping to pick up his shovel.

'And you didn't see which way he was gone?' asked Ellen, looking from the
labourer to the farmer's wife.

'Farmer sent un off or ever I come,' replied John, 'or I'd ha' gied un a
breakfast.'

'I'm sure I can't tell,' said Mrs. Shepherd, with a toss of her head.
'And as to you, Ellen King, I'm surprised at you, running after a scamp
like that, t