ssion, the dread of not succeeding in his mission making him for
the moment more thoughtful.

Dan'l did not need much looking for. He had caught sight of Dexter as
soon as he entered the garden, and gave vent to a grunt.

"Now, what mischief's he up to now?" he grumbled; and he set to and
watched the boy while making believe to be busy cutting the dead leaves
and flowers off certain plants.

He soon became aware of the fact that Dexter was searching for him, and
this altered the case, for he changed his tactics, and kept on moving
here and there, so as to avoid the boy.

"Here! Hi! Mr Copestake!" cried Dexter; but the old man had been
suddenly smitten with that worst form of deafness peculiar to those who
will not hear; and it was not until Dexter had pursued him round three
or four beds, during which he seemed to be blind as well as deaf, that
the old man was able to see him.

"Eh!" he said. "Master want me?"

"No. I'm going fishing; and, please, I want some worms."

"Wums? Did you say wums!" said Dan'l, affecting deafness, and holding
his hand to his ear.

"Yes."

"Ay, you're right; they are," grumbled Dan'l. "Deal o' trouble, wums.
Gets inter the flower-pots, and makes wum castesses all over the lawn,
and they all has to be swept up."

"Yes; but I want some for fishing."

"'Ficient? Quite right, not sufficient help to get 'em swep' away."

"Will you dig a few worms for me, please?" shouted Dexter in the old
man's ear.

"Dig wums? What for? Oh, I see, thou'rt going fishing. No; I can't
stop."

"May I dig some!" cried Dexter; but Dan'l affected not to hear him, and
went hurriedly away.

"He knew what I wanted all the time," said the boy to himself. "He
don't like me no more than Maria does."

Just then he caught sight of Peter Cribb, who, whenever he was not busy
in the stable, seemed to be chained to a birch broom.

"Will you dig a few worms for me, please?" said Dexter; "red ones."

"No; I'm sweeping," said the groom gruffly; and then, in the most
inconsistent way, he changed his tone, for he had a weakness for the rod
and line himself. "Going fishing!"

"Yes, if I can get some worms."

"Where's old Copestake!"

"Gone into the yard over there," said Dexter.

"All right. I'll dig you some. Go behind the wall there, by the
cucumber frames. Got a pot!"

Dexter shook his head.

"All right. I'll bring one."

Dexter went to the appointed place, and in a few minutes Peter a