r
them till they are proved in the wrong. "Now what's all this about?"

"I've got the young varmint at last, have I," pants the farmer; "why,
they've been a-skulking about my yard and stealing my fowls--that's
where 'tis; and if I doan't have they flogged for it, every one on 'em,
my name ain't Thompson."

Holmes looks grave and Diggs's face falls. They are quite ready to
fight--no boys in the school more so; but they are prepostors, and
understand their office, and can't uphold unrighteous causes.

"I haven't been near his old barn this half," cries East. "Nor I," "Nor
I," chime in Tom and Martin.

"Now, Willum, didn't you see 'em there last week?"

"Ees, I seen 'em sure enough," says Willum, grasping a prong he carried,
and preparing for action.

The boys deny stoutly, and Willum is driven to admit that "if it worn't
they 'twas chaps as like 'em as two peas'n;" and "leastways he'll swear
he see'd them two in the yard last Martinmas," indicating East and Tom.

Holmes has had time to meditate. "Now, sir," says he to Willum, "you see
you can't remember what you have seen, and I believe the boys."

"I doan't care," blusters the farmer; "they was arter my fowls
to-day--that's enough for I.--Willum, you catch hold o' t'other chap.
They've been a-sneaking about this two hours, I tells 'ee," shouted he,
as Holmes stands between Martin and Willum, "and have druv a matter of a
dozen young pullets pretty nigh to death."

"Oh, there's a whacker!" cried East; "we haven't been within a hundred
yards of his barn; we haven't been up here above ten minutes, and we've
seen nothing but a tough old guinea-hen, who ran like a greyhound."

"Indeed, that's all true, Holmes, upon my honour," added Tom; "we
weren't after his fowls; guinea-hen ran out of the hedge under our feet,
and we've seen nothing else."

"Drat their talk. Thee catch hold o' t'other, Willum, and come along wi'
un."

"Farmer Thompson," said Holmes, warning off Willum and the prong with
his stick, while Diggs faced the other shepherd, cracking his fingers
like pistol-shots, "now listen to reason. The boys haven't been after
your fowls, that's plain."

"Tells 'ee I see'd'em. Who be you, I should like to know?"

"Never you mind, farmer," answered Holmes. "And now I'll just tell you
what it is: you ought to be ashamed of yourself for leaving all that
poultry about, with no one to watch it, so near the School. You deserve
to have it all stolen. So if you choose