; and then I felt as if I
did not wish so, especially as the boy I had chased was George Day.

"They didn't get the pears," said Shock suddenly; and now it struck me
that we had suddenly grown to be wonderfully talkative, and the best of
friends.

"No," I replied, "I don't think they got the pears. Let's go and see."

We trudged off, I for my part feeling very stiff, and as if all the
excitement had gone out of the adventure; and in a minute we were
feeling about under the pear-trees, and kicking against fallen fruit.

"Here she is," said Shock suddenly. "Big bag. Stodge full."

I ran to him, and was in the act of passing my hands over the bulging
bag when I uttered a faint cry of horror, for something soft seemed to
have dropped upon my back, and a voice from out of the darkness
exclaimed:

"What are you boys doing here?"

At the same moment I knew that it was one of the cats that had leaped
upon my back, and Old Brownsmith who was speaking.

"We have been after some boys who were stealing the pears, sir," I said.

"Were they?" cried the old man sternly; "and I've come and caught them.
You, Shock, bring that bag up to the door."

Shock seized and shouldered the bag, and we followed the old gentleman
to the house; but though I spoke two or three times he made no reply,
and I felt too much hurt by his suspicions to say more.

There was a large house lantern alight in the kitchen, as if the old
gentleman had been about to bring it down the garden with him and had
altered his mind, and the first thing he did was to open the lantern,
take out the candle in his fingers, and hold it up so as to look at each
of us in turn, frowning and suspicious, while we shrank and half-closed
our eyes, dazzled by the light.

Then he turned his attention to the big bag which Shock had placed upon
the table, the top of which opened out, and a pear or two rolled upon
the floor as soon as it was released.

"Humph! Pillow-case, eh?" said the old man, and his face brightened as
if the suspicion was being cleared away. "Who heard 'em?"

"I did, sir," I cried; and I told him how I had wakened up Shock, and of
our fight; but I did not mention George Day's name, and I did not mean
to do so unless I was asked, for it seemed to be so shocking for a boy
like that to be charged with stealing fruit.

"Humph! Ought to have caught some of the dogs! but I say, did you hit
'em hard?"

"As hard as I could, sir," I replied innocently.