So yow got in trap too?"

"Trapped! Yes; the cowardly wretches!"

"Ay, 'twere cowardly. Lucky I came. Couldn't feel bottom, eh?"

"No."

"Nay, yow wouldn't; there's seven foot o' watter there, wi'out mood."

"How did you know I was there?"

"What! Didn' I tell ye?"

"No."

"I were hanging about like, as nigh as I could for chaps, a waitin' to
see yow go home; but yow didn't coom, and yow didn't coom; and I got
crooked like wi' waiting, and wondering whether yow'd gone another way,
when all at once oop comes the bull-poop fierce like, and lays holt o'
me by the leg, and shakes it hard. I was going to kick un, but he'd
on'y got holt of my trowsis, and he kep on' shacking. Then he lets go
and barks and looks at me, and takes holt o' my trowsis agin, and hangs
away, pulling like, till I seemed to see as he wanted me to coom, and I
followed him."

"Good old Piter!" I said; and there was a whine. I did not know it,
but Piter was curled up on the warm ashes close by me, and as soon as he
heard his name he put up his head, whined, and rapped the ashes with his
stumpy tail.

"He went to the wucks fast as he could, and slipped in under the gate;
but I couldn't do that, you see, Mester, and the gate was locked, so I
was just thinking what I'd best do, and wondering where you might be,
when I see Stivens come along, looking as if he'd like to howd my nose
down again his grindstone, and that made me feel as if I'd like to get
one of his ears in my tongs, and his head on my stithy. He looked at
me, and I looked at him, and then I come away and waited till he'd
gone."

"It seemed as if help would never come," I said.

"Ay, it weer long time," said Pannell; "but I found no one about at
last, and I slipped over the wall."

"Yes, and I know where," I said.

"And there was Piter waiting and wanting me to follow him. But there
was no getting in--the doors were locked. I seemed to know, though,
that the dog wanted to get me to the wheel-pit, and when I tried to
think how to get to you I found there was no way 'cept through my forge.
So I got out o' my window, and put the dorg down, and--well, I came.
Arn't much of a fire here, but if I blow it up Stivens or some on 'em
will hear it, or see it, or something; and I s'pose I shall have it for
to-night's work."

I did feel warmer and better able to move, and at last I rose to make
the best of my way back.

"Nobody will notice my wet things," I said, "now it's d