e same.
There, I won't think about it any more."

He reached the spot where he had left his new acquaintance, in a state
of repentance because he had not lowered the milk by taking a good
draught, the consequence being that he had spilt a good deal.

All was perfectly still, and he began to wade through the ferns, and
then stopped to look straight before him, and then sharply to right and
left.

"Why, he isn't a gentleman, after all," muttered the boy. "He's gone.
It was just in there that I told him to crawl, and--no, it was farther
on, by that next beech--no--oh, I say, how much alike all these places
are! I believe I must have passed it."

He stood still and whistled. There was no reply. Then he whistled
again, and, after glancing about him, hazarded a call.

"Hi! Hullo! Where are you?--It's all right; no soldiers near."

There was a faint rustling then amongst the bracken, and the stranger's
head was slowly raised some thirty yards away.

Waller hurried to him.

"What made you change your place?" he said, as he came up.

"Change my place? I have not moved."

"Never mind. There, sit down now. Here's something to take off the
hunger. There, if I didn't forget a knife! Never mind; mine will do.
It's quite clean. That's right. Nobody's likely to come by here. Take
a good drink of this first."

He placed the jug in the lad's hand as he seated himself between the
great buttress-like roots of a huge beech: and after that long, deep
drink there was an interval of time during which Waller watched, with a
feeling of wonder, the ravenous manner in which his new friend--or
enemy--partook of food.

"I am ashamed," he muttered; "I am ashamed. But eat some, too."

"Oh, no; go on," said Waller.

"I can't eat another mouthful unless you join."

"Oh, very well; there is plenty," said Waller, "and seeing you eat has
made me hungry, too."

No more words were spoken for a time, and at last, with the hunger of
both pretty well assuaged, Waller began to note the humour of the
position, and in a half-bantering way exclaimed:

"Here, I say, you ought to leave a snack for the soldiers when they
come."

The lad's hand dropped, and he turned, with a wild look, to fix his eyes
on Waller's.

"Ah," he said, the next moment, with his face softening, "you are
laughing at me."

"Well, suppose I am. It's because I am pleased to see you better now."

"Better! Yes. I think you have saved my life," said the