path again by a sudden remembrance brought up by the sight of a hedge
surrounding a field near it.

"Theer wur a bird as built i' that hedge i' th' spring," he said. "She
wur a new kind. I'd forgotten her. I meant to ha' watched her. I wonder
if any other felly fun her. I'll go an' see if th' nest is theer."

He crossed the road to the place where he fancied he had seen this
treasure; but not being quite certain as to the exact spot, he found his
search lengthened by this uncertainty.

"It wur here," he said to himself; "at least I thowt it wur. Some chap
mun ha' fun it an' tuk it."

At this moment he paused, as if listening.

"What's that theer?" he said. "Theer's some one on th' other side o' th'
hedge."

He had been attracted by the sound of voices--men's voices--the voices
of men who were evidently crouching under the shadow of the hedge on the
other side, and whose tones in a moment more reached him distinctly and
were recognized.

The first was Dan Lowrie's, and before he had heard him utter a dozen
words, Jud dropped upon his knees and laid his hand warningly upon Nib's
neck. The dog pricked his pointed ears and looked up at him restlessly.
All the self-control of his nature could scarcely help him to suppress a
whine.

"Them as is feared to stand by Dan Lowrie," said the voice, with an
oath, "let 'em say so."

"Theer's not a mon here as is feart," was the gruff answer.

"Then theer's no need to gab no more," returned Lowrie. "Yo' know what
yo' ha' getten to do. Yo' ha' th' vitriol an' th' sticks. Wait yo' fur
him at th' second corner an' I'll wait at th' first. If he does na tak'
one turn into th' road he'll tak' th' other, an' so which turn he tak's
we'll be ready fur him. Blast him! he'll be done wi' engineerin' fur a
while if he fa's into _my_ hands, an' he'll mak' no more rows about th'
Davvies."

Impatient for the word of command, Nib stirred uneasily among the dead
leaves, and the men heard him. Not a moment's space was given to the two
listeners, or they would have saved themselves. There was a smothered
exclamation from three voices at once, a burst of profanity, and Dan
Lowrie had leaped the low hedge and caught Jud by the collar. The
man was ghastly with rage. He shook the lad until even he himself was
breathless.

"Yo' young devil!" he cried, hoarsely, "yo've been listenin', ha'
yo'? Nay, theer's no use o' yo' tryin' to brave it out. Yo've done for
yorsen, by God!"

"Let me a-be,"