Hicky, you are so quiet about it
all, did you see who it was shot at you?"

The big wheelwright looked cautiously round, as if in fear of being
overheard, and then said in a husky whisper:

"Ay, lads, I seen him."

"What was he like, Hicky?" said Tom, who suffered a peculiar kind of
thrill as the wheelwright spoke.

"Somethin' between a big cloud, shape of a man, and a flash of lightning
with a bit o' thunder."

"Get out!" roared Dick. "Why, he's laughing at us, Tom."

"Nay, lads, I'm not laughing. It's just what I seemed to see, and it
'most knocked me over."

"It's very queer," said Dick thoughtfully. "But I say, Hicky, what did
the doctor say to your hand? Will it soon get well?"

"Didn't go to the doctor, lad."

"Why, what did you do then?"

"Went to old Mikey Dodbrooke, the bone-setter."

"What did you go to him for?"

"Because it's his trade. He knows how to mend bones better than any
doctor."

"Father says he's an old sham, and doesn't understand anything about
it," said Dick. "You ought to have gone to the doctor, or had him, same
as Mr Marston did."

"Tchah!" ejaculated Hickathrift. "Why, he had no bones broken. Doctors
don't understand bone-setting."

"Who says so?"

"The bone-setter."

"Well, is it getting better, Hicky?"

"Oh yes! It ar'n't very bad. Going down to the drain?"

"Yes. Mr Marston's found a curious great piece of wood, and the men
are digging it out."

"Don't stop late, my lads," said the wheelwright, anxiously. "I
wouldn't be coming back after dark when the will-o'-the-wisps is out."

"I don't believe all that stuff, Hicky," said Dick. "Father says--"

"Eh! What does he say?" cried the wheelwright, excitedly.

"That he thinks it's one of Mr Marston's men who has a spite against
him, and that when there was that shot the other night, it was meant for
the engineer."

"Hah! Yes! Maybe," said the wheelwright, drawing a long breath and
looking relieved. "But I wouldn't stop late, my lads."

"We shall stop just as long as we like, sha'n't we, Tom?"

"Yes."

"Then I shall come and meet you, my lads. I sha'n't be happy till I see
you back safe."

"I say, Hicky, you've got a gun, haven't you?" said Tom.

"Eh! A goon!" cried the wheelwright, starting.

"Yes; you've got one?"

"An old one. She's roosty, and put awaya. I heven't hed her out for
years."

"Clean it up, and bring it, Hicky," said Dick. "We may get a shot at
something. I say,