ck, his
left foot far in advance of his right, and with his right hand still
grasping the halter of the horse, which gave way more and more, till it
was clean down on its haunches.

"What's the matter?" said the voice which I had last heard.

"Get back with you, Belle, Moll," said the man, still staring at me,
"here's something not over canny or comfortable."

"What is it?" said the same voice; "let me pass, Moll, and I'll soon
clear the way;" and I heard a kind of rushing down the path.

"You need not be afraid," said I, addressing myself to the man. "I mean
you no harm; I am a wanderer like yourself--come here to seek for
shelter--you need not be afraid; I am a Roman chabo {283} by
matriculation--one of the right sort, and no mistake--Good day to ye,
brother; I bid ye welcome."

The man eyed me suspiciously for a moment--then, turning to his horse
with a loud curse, he pulled him up from his haunches, and led him and
the cart farther down to one side of the dingle, muttering, as he passed
me, "Afraid! Hm!"

I do not remember ever to have seen a more ruffianly looking fellow; he
was about six feet high, with an immensely athletic frame; his face was
black and bluff, and sported an immense pair of whiskers, but with here
and there a grey hair, for his age could not be much under fifty. He
wore a faded blue frock-coat, corduroys, and highlows; on his black head
was a kind of red nightcap, round his bull neck a Barcelona
handkerchief--I did not like the look of the man at all.

"Afraid!" growled the fellow, proceeding to unharness his horse; "that
was the word, I think."

But other figures were now already upon the scene. Dashing past the
other horse and cart, which by this time had reached the bottom of the
pass, appeared an exceedingly tall woman, or rather girl, for she could
scarcely have been above eighteen; she was dressed in a tight bodice and
a blue stuff gown; hat, bonnet, or cap she had none, and her hair, which
was flaxen, hung down on her shoulders unconfined; her complexion was
fair, and her features handsome, with a determined but open
expression--she was followed by another female, about forty, stout and
vulgar looking, at whom I scarcely glanced, my whole attention being
absorbed by the tall girl.

"What's the matter, Jack?" said the latter, looking at the man.

"Only afraid, that's all," said the man, still proceeding with his work.

"Afraid at what--at that lad? why, he looks like a ghos