aking Dick's blanket, and marching
across to his friend. 'D'ye reckon we look like tramps?' He simply
bellowed the question, for he was immensely proud of his new scout's
uniform, and quite forgot that at present he was arrayed only in a
blanket.

'They've been in the wet, and they're dryin' their clothes,' went on
the farmer's wife. 'Come home, Tom, an' leave 'em be; they'll do no
harm.'

The farmer was already regretting his hasty blow, but, being a man who
could never be made to express the opinion that he was in the wrong, he
said nothing, merely turned away, and beat a retreat.

'Here's your blanket, Dick,' said the Raven. 'I felt ready, I can tell
ye, to chuck the chopper at that confounded old hayseed of a farmer.'

'He did fetch me one for luck,' said Dick, rubbing the weal which now
began to show up on his body. 'It seems we're trespassing.'

'Not to do any harm,' growled the Raven. 'But he's off now; the wife's
fetchin' him away. She seems a good sort.'

The two scouts went back to their fire, and again turned the clothes,
which were drying fast. Before long they were able to dress again, and
march on their way.

CHAPTER XL

THE SCOUTS' SECOND CAMP

They had gone half a mile from the copse, when their attention was
drawn to a bramble-brake which seemed to be alive. It shook, it
twisted, it rocked to and fro. They went up to the spot, and found a
fat ewe on her back in the heart of it. She was struggling furiously
but quite hopelessly; the brambles were wrapped about her fleecy body
like cords of steel, and would hold her there till she died of
exhaustion.

'I suppose she belongs to the chap who waled me,' said Dick. 'Well, I
can take my knot out all right this time, Chippy. I'll chuck the cut
of the whip and the sheep in as a good turn.'

'He don't deserve it,' cried Chippy; 'but we've got the poor beast to
think of, an' that's a scout's job.'

The boys set to work at once, and it took them a good half-hour with
knife and axe to free the terrified creature. At last they had it out
of the brake, and placed it on an open patch of grassy land, and left
it to recover.

Within a mile again they were surprised to enter a dry, dusty land once
more. They had passed the region of the thunder-burst. It had been a
local shower, not general, and the point where it had ended was shown
in quite a sharp line drawn across the way they were following.

'All the better for us,' said Chip