others!" shouted the man; "it weer they, and I heered 'em laughing
and bragging about it as I lay theer in the bottom o' the boat nearly in
a swownd, bud I could hear what they said."

This charge was so serious that, as a matter of course, there was a
magisterial inquiry, which was repeated as soon as the constable was
sufficiently well to limp into the justice-room in the little town where
he had been removed as soon as the doctor gave permission, the
neighbourhood of the Toft and Hickathrift having grown uncomfortably
warm.

At that last examination the magistrates shook their heads, and, after
hearing a great deal of speaking, decided that Thorpeley must have been
deceived in the darkness, and the charge was dismissed.

In those days the law had two qualities in an out-of-the-way place that
have pretty well died out now. These qualities were laxity and
severity--the disposition to go to extremes; and in this case some idea
of the way in which the work of petty sessions was carried on will be
grasped when it is told that after the examination the chairman of the
bench of magistrates, an old landholder of the neighbourhood, shook
hands with the squire, and then less freely with Farmer Tallington.

"Look here, you two," he said; "we've let off these two young scamps;
but you had better send them to sea, or at all events away from here."

"I don't understand you, sir," said the squire hotly.

"I can't help that," was the gruff reply. "You take my advice. Send
'em away before there's more mischief done. I sha'n't let 'em off next
time."

Hickathrift, who had watched all the proceedings, heard these words; and
as the two lads trudged home beside him, with the squire and Farmer
Tallington in front, he told them all that had been said.

Dick said nothing, but Tom fired up and exclaimed angrily, while the
wheelwright kept on talking quietly to the former.

"Niver yow mind, lad; we don't think you shot at him. It's some o' they
lads t'other side o' the fen. They comes acrost and waits their chance,
and then goes back, and nobody's none the wiser. Niver you mind what
owd magistrit said. Magistrit indeed! Why, I'd mak' a better magistrit
out of owd Solomon any day o' the week."

It was kindly spoken; but if there is a difficult thing to do it is to
"never mind" when the heart is sore through some accusation that rankles
from its injustice.

"Yes, Tom," said Dick, when they were about half-way home; "they'd