"What is it?" said Tom, staring.

"The gov'nor. Hear him? He has forgotten how bad he is. No groans
now. Come on."

Tom felt disgusted. He had often noticed the same thing, and formed his
own conclusion; but it annoyed him to hear his cousin holding his
father's weakness up to ridicule; and he followed Sam out into the
garden, and from thence along the sandy lane, thinking what a long time
it would be till Monday, when the visitor would return to town.

They had not gone far along the edge of the pine-wood, when all at once
a dog leaped out, to begin hunting amongst the furze and brambles, and
dart in again.

"What's he after?" cried Sam.

"Rabbits."

As Tom spoke, his cousin struck a match to light a fresh cigarette; and
as he lit up, he became aware of the fact that the long slouching figure
of Pete Warboys was there by a tree, watching his act with profound
interest.

Sam uttered a low laugh full of contempt, as he noticed the lad's eager
gaze, and after sending a curl of smoke floating upon the air, he jerked
the wax-match from him for a few yards, to fall beneath some old dead
furze.

"Have one, joskin?" he said.

Pete Warboys seemed to forget the presence of Tom, and slouched forward,
holding out his hand as he uttered a low hoarse "Ah!"

Sam re-opened his cigarette case and held it out.

"Take two," he said; and Pete did so without hesitation, while Tom stood
frowning. "Know how to smoke them?" said Sam.

"Ah!" growled Pete; and with a sly grin he took a little dirty black
clay pipe from his pocket, and held it up before pulling one of the
cigarettes to pieces and thrusting it in paper and all, without noticing
that he had drawn something out with the pipe, to fall to the ground.

"Want a light?" said Sam; but Pete made no answer, merely pulling a box
of matches out of his pocket and putting it back.

"Come along now," said Tom, hesitating though as he spoke.

"Wait a minute. Like sixpence, joskin?"

"Ah!" replied Pete, showing a set of dirty teeth in a grin.

"Catch then," said Sam, contemptuously tossing the coin through the air;
but Pete was not active enough to seize it, and it fell amongst the
herbage, and had to be searched for. "Got it?"

"Ah!" said Pete, with a grin. "Chuck us another."

"Not this time," replied Sam, with a forced laugh, as he looked at the
fellow. "Like pears?"

"Ah!"

"Here then."

Sam took a well-grown hard Marie Louise pear from his pocket, an