not of people who had gathered began
to disperse. The young man and the girl trotted on their way.

"Most unfortunate," muttered Silver.

"Most," Boy answered.

In Joses's eyes she had seen again that look of the wild beast, caged
and cowering.

The young man felt censure in her voice.

"Well, I don't think it was my fault," he said, nettled.

"I know it wasn't," she cried. "But--"

"What?"

"That inspector's way with him. Like a slavedriver."

"I know," said Silver. "Horrible."

CHAPTER XXV

The Black Bird

The last meet of the season was, as always, at Folkington Green, close
enough to Lewes to draw the townsfolk out on bicycles and in
char-a-bancs.

The morning was fine after rain, and there was a full attendance on the
green under the swinging sign of _The Beehive_.

Old Mat sat by the muddy pond on his three-cornered cob. He was dressed,
as always, in flat-topped hat, trousers, and elastic-sided boots; and he
swung his legs mechanically against Ichabod's hardened sides.

About him was gathered the usual group of admiring ladies. They liked
Old Mat as much as they disliked his daughter.

"I don't come 'ere to 'unt," the old man was saying wearily; "I come
'ere to putest. Yes, you can persecute me if you like, same as you do
the fox, but if I live through it, as I 'ave before, I shall go 'ome to
Mar, and next time you comes out I shall be there givin' my witness, de
we." His face was firm and nobly resolute. "Crool, I calls it," he said.
"Such a lot of you, too. Hosses and dogs, men and women, not to say
perambylators. All on his back at once; and he'll beat the lot yet,
you'll see. That's because he's got religion in him, little red fox has.
His conscience is clear, same as mine." He looked about him. "Now
there's Mr. Haggard there be the elm. He thinks just the very same as
me--only he ain't got the spirit in him to stand up and say so. I'd 'a'
wep a tear--only I ain't got one."

The Duke in his hunting cap sat close by on his cobby chestnut, which
looked as if it had come out of an old hunting print, and the hounds
sprawled about it in the sunshine on the green.

Silver rode up to the Duke, who greeted him ironically.

"Late as usual, Silver," he said. "We've been waiting for you since
Christmas."

"Very good of you, sir," replied the young man. "I only came down from
town this morning."

"Glad you could get away," grunted the Duke. "Hope you've done 'em down
all right."

Sil