t speak, I will. Do
you mean to say you believe Tom Tallington and I know anything about
these cowardly tricks?"

"Nay, I'm not going to show my hand," said the man. "Wait a bit, and
you'll see."

"No; you speak out now," cried Dick. "I won't be suspected by any man.
Do you mean to say Tom Tallington and I know?"

"Nay, I shall na speak till proper time comes. I know what I know, and
I know what I've seen, and when time comes mebbe I shall speak, and not
before."

"He don't know anything," cried Tom, laughing. "He's a regular sham."

"Nay, I don't know as boys steals out o' windows at nights, and goes
creeping along in the dark, and playing their games as other people gets
the credit on. I don't know nothing. Oh, no!"

"Why, you cowardly--"

Dick did not finish his speech, for at that moment Hickathrift stretched
out one of his great arms, and his big hand closed with a mighty grip on
the constable's shoulder, making the man utter a sharp ejaculation.

"That'll do," he growled. "Yow shoot thee neb. Man as says owt again
Mester Dick here's saying things agen me."

"What do you mean?" cried the constable. "Are you going to resist the
law?"

"Nay, not I," said Hickathrift. "I am a good subject o' the king's.
God bless him! But if yow says owt more again Mester Dick, I'll take
thee by the scruff and pitch thee right out yonder into the bog."

"Ay," snarled Dave, spitting in his hands and giving his staff a twist;
"and I'll howd him down till he says he's sorry."

How the constable was to beg Dick's pardon when held down under the
black ooze and water of the mere was not very evident; but the threat
had a good effect, for the man stared from one of the speakers to the
other, and held his peace till they reached the Toft.

The explosion proved to have done more mischief than was at first
supposed, and necessitated the taking down of all one side of the gowt
and the making of a new sluice door. It was all plain enough, as the
engineer had surmised upon the first inspection: a heavy charge of
powder had been lowered down by the miscreants who were fighting against
the project, and they had probably used a long fuse sufficient to enable
them to get far enough away before the explosion.

What followed was, however, quite enough to daunt the most determined
foe, for in place of disheartening the engineer, the mishap seemed to
spur him on to renewed exertions. He was on the spot by daybreak, and
befo