uch. Get thy
saddles off, lad, and come in; 'tis a smittle night for rheumatics."

I helped Dick to take off the saddles, and, having hobbled our horses
with stirrup-leathers, we went in.

Our little old friend was the hut-keeper, as I saw at a glance. The
shepherd was sitting on a block before the fire, in his shirt, smoking
his pipe and warming his legs preparatory to turning in.

I understood him in a moment, as I then thought (though I was much
deceived). A short, wiry, blackheaded man, with a cunning face--convict
all over. He rose as we came in, and gave us good evening. I begged he
would not disturb himself; so he moved his block into the corner, and
smoked away with that lazy indifference that only a shepherd is master
of.

But the old man began bustling about. He made us sit down before the
fire, and make ourselves comfortable. He never ceased talking.

"I'll get ye, lads, some supper just now," said he. "There's na but twa
bunks i' the hut; so master and man must lie o' the floor, 'less indeed
the boss lies in my bed, which he's welcome to. We've a plenty
blankets, though, and sheepskins. We'll mak ye comfortable, boys.
There's a mickle back log o' the fire, and ye'll lie warm, I'se warrant
ye. There's cowd beef, sir (to me), and good breed, no' to mind boggins
o' tea. Ye'll be comfortable, will ye. What's yer name?"

"Hamlyn," I said.

"Oh, ay! Ye're Hamlyn and Stockbridge! I ken ye well; I kenned yer
partner: a good man--a very good man, a man o' ten thousand. He was put
down up north. A bad job--a very bad job! Ye gat terrible vengeance,
though. Ye hewed Agag in pieces! T' Governor up there to Sydney was
wild angry at what ye did, but he darena' say much. He knew that every
free man's heart went with ye. It were the sword of the Lord and of
Gideon that ye fought with! Ye saved many good lives by that raid of
yours after Stockbridge was killed. The devils wanted a lesson, and ye
gar'd them read one wi' a vengeance!"

During this speech, which was uttered in a series of interjections, we
had made our supper, and drawn back to the fire. The shepherd had
tumbled into his blankets, and was snoring. The old man, having cleared
away the things, came and sat down beside us. The present of a fig of
tobacco won his heart utterly, and he, having cut up a pipeful, began
talking again.

"Why," said he, "it's the real Barret's twist--the very real article!
Eh, master, ye're book-learned: do you ken where this