took to his heels, and as soon as he
was out of gun-shot, turned round, shook his fist, and then hastened
away to obtain the reinforcement he desired.

"I wish the gun had been loaded," said I.

"Why, Jacob, what's come over you? Would you have fired at him? The
man is only doing his duty--we have no business here."

"I think otherwise," replied I. "A hare on a common is as much mine as
Lord Spencer's. A common belongs to everybody."

"That's my opinion, too; but, nevertheless, if he gets hold of us, he'll
have us in gaol; and therefore I propose we make off as fast as we can
in the opposite way to which he is gone."

We started accordingly, and as the keeper proceeded in the direction of
Wandsworth, we took the other direction; but it so happened that on
turning round, after a quarter of an hour's walk, we perceived the man
coming back with three or four others. "We must run for it," cried Tom,
"and then hide ourselves." After ten minutes' hard run we descended
into a hollow and swampy place, looking round to see if they could
perceive us, and finding that they were not in sight, we plunged into a
thick cluster of furze bushes, which completely concealed us. Tommy
followed us, and there we lay. "Now they never will find us," said Tom,
"if I can only keep the dog quiet. Lie down, Tommy. Watch, and lie
down." The dog appeared to understand what was required; he lay between
us perfectly still.

We had remained there about half-an-hour when we heard voices. I
motioned to Tom to give me the powder to load the gun, but he refused.
The voices came nearer; Tommy gave a low growl. Tom held his mouth with
his hands. At last they were close to the bushes, and we heard the
common-keeper say, "They never went over the hill, that's for certain,
the little wagrants; they can't be far off--they must be down in the
hollow. Come along."

"But I'm blessed if I'm not up to my knees in the bog," cried one of the
men; "I'll go no further down, dang me!"

"Well, then let's try the side of the bog," replied the keeper, "I'll
show you the way." And the voices retreated, fortunately for us, for
there had been a continual struggle between us and the dog for the last
minute, I holding his forepaws, and Tom jamming up his mouth. We were
now all quiet again, but dare not leave our hiding-place.

We remained there for half-an-hour, when it became nearly dark, and the
sky, which had been quite clear when we set out, clouded