e growled, and the next minute he took
the lantern from Polly, who was panting with excitement.

"Oh, father dear," she cried, "are you hurt?"

"Not a bit, my lass," he cried, stooping quickly and kissing her. "Will
you stay or go? It's ugly."

"Stay, father."

"Right, my lass. Now, Mr Lomax, what about this chap you downed," he
continued, holding the lantern so that the light fell upon the kneeling
man, whose forehead was bleeding freely. "You give it him and no
mistake," he chuckled. "Here, tie this hankychy round your head, and
don't bellow there like a great calf. Master Burr junior, pick up and
take charge of that gun, will you? Stop! let's see if she's loaded.
No. All right. I forgot. She went off herself, I suppose," he added
grimly, "when he tried to shoot Mr Lomax or me."

"I didn't," whimpered the man.

"There, don't make wuss on it by telling lies, you skulking hound,"
cried Bob, who was as fierce now as could be. "Mr Lomax, will you see
as he don't get away?"

"He'd better try to," said the old sergeant, making his stick whizz
through the air.

"Now, where's t'other?" said Hopley. "Mind, keep back, you lads. He's
got a gun too, and he's hurt, and may be savage."

"Oh, take care, father!" cried Polly. "Let me go first--he wouldn't
shoot a woman."

"Want to make me ashamed of myself and get hiding behind a gal's
petticutt!" cried Bob. "G'long with you."

He strode forward with the lantern for a few yards, and then held it
down over the spot from which a low groaning had come, but which had
ceased for some minutes now.

It was very horrible, but the weird scene beneath those heavy boughs,
with the keeper's burly form thrown up by the yellow glow of the lantern
and the shadowy aspect of the trees around, with the light faintly
gleaming on their trunks, fascinated us so that we followed Hopley with
his daughter to where he stood.

"Now, squire," he said, "where are you hurt?"

The man, who seemed to be lying all of a heap, uttered a groan, and
Hopley held the light nearer.

"I'm fear'd he's got it badly, Polly," growled the keeper. "Hah!"

"Oh, father!"

"None o' my doing, my lass. Here, all on you. This is a madgistrit's
business, and I don't want to get credit for what I never did. So just
look."

He held the lantern down for us to see.

"He's got one o' them poaching guns, you see, with a short barrel as
unscrews in the middle, and he must ha' been taking it to piec