s broad speech.

"Then it arn't manners, lad. Thowt you'd been to school up to town
yonder to larn manners both on you?"

"So we did, Dave, and a lot more things," cried Dick. "How to know when
anyone's gammoning."

"Gammoning, lad?" said Dave uneasily.

"Yes, gammoning. You don't want the flood done away with."

"Not want the flood done away wi'!"

"No; and you don't want the fen drained and turned into fields."

"Do yow?" said Dave fiercely, and he took a step nearer to the lad.

"No, of course not," cried Dick. "It would spoil all the fun."

"Hah!" ejaculated Dave, as his yellow face puckered up with a dry smile,
and in a furtive way which fitted with his fox-skin cap he turned and
gave John Warren a peculiar look.

"When may we come over to the 'coy, Dave?"

"When you like, lads. Soon as the watter's down low enough for us to
work it."

"It's sinking fast, Dave," said Tom. "It's all gone from our garden
now, and the rooms are getting dry."

"Ay, but my pipes are covered still, and it'll be a good month, my lads,
'fore we can do any good. But I might ha' took you both out in the punt
for a bit o' shooting if you hadn't played that game on me, and spoiled
my horn and wasted all my powder."

"Ah, it was too bad, Dave; but there are a couple of fine large horns at
home I've saved for you, and we've bought you a pound of powder."

"Nay, I sha'n't believe it till I see 'em," said Dave. "I did mean to
hev asked you lads to come netting, but I can't ask them as plays
tricks."

"Netting! What, the ruffs?"

"Ay, I weer thinking about heving a try for 'em. But I shall give it
up."

"Dave, you promised me a year ago that you'd take us with you some time,
and you never have," cried Dick.

"Nay, did I though?"

"Yes; didn't he, Tom?"

"Nay, yow needn't ask him; he'll be sewer to say yes," said Dave,
grinning.

"Look here," cried Dick, "I'm not going to argue with you, Dave. Are
you going to take us?"

"Some day, lad, when the watter's down, if my live birds aren't all
drownded and my stales [stuffed decoys] spoiled."

"Oh, they won't be!" cried Dick. "When will you go?"

"When the watter's down, my lad."

"It's low enough now. There are plenty of places where you can spread
your nets."

"Ay, but plenty of places don't suit me, my lad. You wait a bit and
we'll see. Get John Warren to tek you ferreting."

"Yes, that will do," cried Tom. "When are you going, John?"

The man add