ave.

"Yes: there was a flash of light went up."

"Hey, bud I'll come wi' you," said Dave earnestly. "I'd best land here,
for I can't get much farther."

For thereabouts the track went wide of the edge of the mere, and Dave
was just landing, talking volubly the while, as the squire and Mr
Marston pressed on, leaving them behind, when there came another hail
off the water.

"Why, it's John Warren!" cried Tom.

"What's matter?"

"We dunno, lad," shouted back Dave. "Fireball come down, I think."

"That all?" said the rabbit-catcher. "Any mischief? Don't see no
fire."

"Nay, bud we don't know," replied Dave. "Squire and engineer chap's on
ahead, and we're going to see. Coming?"

"Nay, I'm going back to bed again. Busy day wi' me to-morrow. I thowt
someone was killed."

There was a faint glimpse of the man and his boat seen for a moment, and
the water flashed in the rays of the stars as he turned; then his voice
was heard muttering, and the splash of his pole came more faintly, while
Dave secured and stepped out of the boat, to burst out suddenly in his
grating unmusical laugh.

"He, he, he! His, hec, hac! Seems straange and disappointed, lads.
Talks as if he wanted someone killed. Now, then, come on."

By this time the squire and Mr Marston were a long way ahead, and Tom
proposed a run to overtake them.

"Ay, run, lads. Keep up a trot. Dessay I shall be clost behind."

"Come along!" cried Dick; and they started off along the track, with
Dave increasing his stride and seeming to skim without effort over the
ground, his long wiry legs and great strength enabling him to keep up
with the boys, who, whenever they looked back, found him close behind.

"You needn't mind about me, lads," he said with a chuckle; "I sha'n't be
far."

They were rapidly gaining upon those in front; knowing this fact from
the murmur of their voices as they kept up an animated discussion, when,
all at once, it seemed as if the squire had begun to talk much more
rapidly, and that Mr Marston was replying to him at a terrible rate,
their voices becoming blurred and confused, as it were, when Dick
realised what it meant.

"There's a party of the drain-men coming. Let's run!"

Dick was right, and five minutes after, he and his companions had joined
a group gathered round Mr Marston, while Bargle, the big labourer, was
talking.

"Ay, mester, we _all_ tumbled out, and went away down to the gaats as
soon as we'd tumbled ou