ours. "I see my gentleman. Nice little
game he's having. I'll bet a shilling he's about gorged with grapes,
and now he's on the look-out for something else. But let him alone;
wait a bit and we'll put salt on his tail before he can say what's what.
I knowed some grapes was a-going. I could about feel it, like."

"Well, I never!" whispered Peter, peering through the laurustinus, and
watching the boy. "See that?"

"Oh yes, I see him. Nice un he is."

This last was consequent upon the boy running a few yards, and then
holding tightly with his hands, and kicking both legs in the air two or
three times before trotting on along the wall again as easily as a
tomcat.

"See that?" said Peter.

"Oh yes, I can see," said Dan'l. "He's so full o' grapes it makes him
lively," and he stared at the boy, who had suddenly stopped, and
planting his hands firmly, stood up on them, balancing himself, with his
legs spread wide in the air.

"He'll break his neck, that's what he'll do," said Peter.

"Good job too, I says," grumbled Dan'l. "Boys like that ought to be
done away with. He's one on 'em out o' the town. Now look here, Peter,
we've got to get him, that's what we've got to do."

"Ah, that's better," said Peter, who had been nervous ever since a horse
ran away with him. "I don't like to see a boy doing dangerous things
that how."

"Don't call a thing like that a boy, do yer!" said Dan'l. "I calls it
monkey rubbidge. Now you step round the house, and through the stable,
and get down that side o' the wall, and I'll go this. Don't you seem to
see him till you hear me whistle. Then grab."

"But how am I to grab when he's up there!" said Peter.

"Ah! 'tis high up," said Dan'l. "Wish I'd got one o' them
grappling-irons as hangs down by the bridge; I'd fetch him off pretty
quick."

"Shall I get a fruit-ladder?" suggested Peter.

"Nay, we don't want no fruit-ladders," grumbled Dan'l. "We'll soon
fetch his lordship down. Now then, you be off."

"Stop a moment," said Peter, as he watched the boy intently. "Look at
him! Well, I never did!"

It was a very true remark. Peter certainly never did, and very few boys
would have cunning enough to perform such a feat with so much ease.
For, after running about fifty yards along the top of the wall, the
little fellow turned quickly and ran back again, made offers as if he
were going to leap down, and then suddenly squatted down in exact
imitation of a cat, and beg