shall get a sound beating for my pains, and to be beat is worth a
shilling.'

'If thou art beat, be beat for something more,' says Elzevir the tempter.
'Give me that firelock that thou carriest, and take a guinea.'

'Nay, I know not,' says the boy; 'there are queer tales afloat at
Lowermoigne, how that a Posse met the Contraband this morning, and shots
were fired, and a gauger got an overdose of lead--maybe of goose slugs
No. 2. The smugglers got off clear, but they say the hue and cry is up
already, and that a head-price will be fixed of twenty pound. So if I
sell you a fowling-piece, maybe I shall do wrong, and have the Government
upon me as well as my master.' The surprise in his voice was changed to
suspicion, for while he spoke I saw that his eye had fallen on my foot,
though I tried to keep it in the shadow; and that he saw the boot clotted
with blood, and the kerchief tied round my leg.

''Tis for that very reason,' says Elzevir, 'that I want the firelock.
These smugglers are roaming loose, and a pistol is a poor thing to stop
such wicked rascals on a lone hill-side. Come, come, _thou_ dost not want
a piece to guard thee; they will not hurt a boy.'

He had the guinea between his finger and thumb, and the gleam of the gold
was too strong to be withstood. So we gained a sorry matchlock, slugs,
and powder, and the boy walked off over the furrow, whistling with his
hand in his pocket, and a guinea and a crown-piece in his hand.

His whistle sounded innocent enough, yet I mistrusted him, having caught
his eye when he was looking at my bloody foot; and so I said as much to
Elzevir, who only laughed, saying the boy was simple and harmless. But
from where I sat I could peep out through the brambles in the open gap,
and see without being seen--and there was my young gentleman walking
carelessly enough, and whistling like any bird so long as Elzevir's head
was above the wall; but when Elzevir sat down, the boy gave a careful
look round, and seeing no one watching any more, dropped his whistling
and made off as fast as heels would carry him. Then I knew that he had
guessed who we were, and was off to warn the hue and cry; but before
Elzevir was on his feet again, the boy was out of sight, over the
hill-brow.

'Let us move on,' said Block; 'tis but a little distance now to go, and
the heat is past already. We must have slept three hours or more, for
thou art but a sorry watchman, John. 'Tis when the sentry sleeps that