inal smell, he found
that though perfectly hidden he could dimly make out the top of the
garden wall, where the pears hung thickly not many feet away, and the
watchers were so situated that a spring would take them into the path,
close to any marauder who might come.

"One moment, David," whispered Tom, "and then I won't speak again.
Which way do you think he'll come?"

"Over the wall from the field, and then up along the bed, so as his feet
arn't heard. If I hear anything I nips you in the leg. If you hear
anything, you nips me."

"Not too hard," said Tom, and the watch began.

At first there was the rattle of a cart heard coming along the road, a
long way off, and Tom knelt there sniffing the odour of the
blackcurrants, and trying to calculate where the cart would be. But
after a time that reached the village and passed on, and the tramp of
the horse and the rattle of the wheels died out.

Then he listened to the various sounds in the village--voices, the
closing of doors, the rattle of shutters; and all at once the church
clock began to strike, the nine thumps on the bell coming very slowly,
and the last leaving a quivering, booming sound in the air which lasted
for some time.

After this all was very still, and it was quite a relief to hear the
barking of a dog from some distance away, followed by the faintly-heard
rattle of a chain drawn over the entrance of the kennel, when the
barking ceased, and repeated directly after as the barking began again.

Everything then was wonderfully still and dark, till a peculiar cry
arose--a weird, strange cry, as of something in pain, which thrilled
Tom's nerves.

"Rabbit?" he whispered.

"Hedgehog," grumbled David hoarsely; "don't talk."

Silence again for a minute or two, and the peculiar sensation caused by
the cry of the bristly animal still hung in Tom's nerves, when there was
another noise which produced a thoroughly different effect, for a donkey
from somewhere out on the common suddenly gave vent to its doleful
extraordinary bray, ending in a most dismal squeaking yell, suggestive
of all the wind being out of its organ.

Tom smiled as he knelt there, wondering how Nature could have given an
animal so strange a cry, as all was again still, till voices arose once
more in the village; some one said "Good-night!" then a door banged,
and, _pat pat_, he could hear faintly retiring steps, "Good-night"
repeated, and then close to his elbow--

_Snor-rr-re_.

"