went. This talent of his was
well known among his friends, and had gained for him the nickname before
mentioned of Thieving Joe, a title of which he was actually proud,
until--But better not anticipate.

To-day, however, Joe had picked up nothing. Not a bird had they seen
worth the waste of powder and shot; not a rabbit had even so much as
sniffed in the direction of the snares. Joe was disappointed and out of
temper in consequence, and flinging down his gun, and administering a
cuff to the long-suffering Tonio, he roared for Bambo to bring him his
dinner, in a voice which awoke Joan bolt upright from her sleep, and set
Darby to shake and shiver down to the very soles of his shoes.

When the savoury meal which the dwarf had so carefully prepared was
disposed of, Mr. Harris lay down beside the fire to rest after the
fatigues of the morning. There he slept until twilight was stealing over
the common, and within the belt of fir trees darkness and gloom peopled
the spaces with shadows, and filled the air with that silence which
speaks in no known language, yet with many voices. And again, as on the
previous night, soon the encampment was in the bustle of removal. Bruno
and Puck were shoved into their cages, the horses harnessed and yoked to
the caravan, Darby and Joan carefully hidden away inside under Moll's
guardianship, and the party were on the move once more.

They were not going far, only to the outskirts of Barchester, the big,
busy, noisy town whose tall chimneys rose through the smoke-laden
atmosphere which hung so dark and heavy above their belching mouths.
Barchester was about eight miles off going by the less direct road along
which they would travel in order to elude pursuit. There they would halt
for the night, awaiting the proprietor's orders for the morrow.

The black boy capered alongside the caravan, aiming stones at the
sparrows hunched up on the leafless branches of the hedges, or chasing
the shy young rabbits that scuttered frightened to their burrows in the
mossy bank by the roadside, as the piebalds plodded sedately on their
monotonous way. The bear snarled behind his iron bars, the children
crouched silently in a corner of the caravan, while Joe and Moll smoked
and lounged, and discussed their plans concerning their captives and the
company generally during the approaching winter. Bambo occupied his
accustomed perch above the horses; and through the badly-fitted squares
of glass in front, which by