and offer a reward so large that everybody would say he was an angel
barring the wings.

Amos was dwelling on what his nephew would get in the next world, to make
up for his fun in this one, and marvelling in his simple mind that the
wicked could flourish like the green bay tree and nothing be done against
'em by Providence, when that happened to fill his mind very full of his
own affairs again.

He was sitting with his eyes on the shaft of daylight under the stones,
when suddenly it went out and for a moment disappeared. But then, like a
cork out of a bottle, something emerged, and Amos saw a long red thing
sneak through and drop, panting, on its side not three yards from him. And
well he knew what it was, even if the reek hadn't told him. 'Twas a hunted
fox that had saved its brush--not for the first time belike--in the old
tin mine working, and that meant more to the man than a sack of diamonds
just then. He moved and the fox, little thinking to find an enemy on that
side of the barrier, jumped to his feet and galloped up the passage so
hard as he could pelt; while Amos strained his ears to the hole and
prepared to lift his voice and have the yell of his life for salvation
when the moment arrived.

How long the fox had stood afore hounds he couldn't tell; but long or
short, they'd run him to the rocks for certain, and then the prisoned man
would hear 'em and try to make the hunters hear him if he could. Hounds
met at Dart Meet that day, and Gregory doubted not they'd found a fox as
was had took 'em up East Dart and then away to the Vitifer mine district,
where he knew he was safe.

And in ten minutes he heard hounds and in five minutes more they was got
within a few yards of him, yelping and nosing t'other side of the granite.
He guessed the huntsman would soon be with 'em at the cave mouth and
presently gave tongue down the road the fox had come, and after shouting
thrice with all his breath, waited, and sure enough heard an answering
shout.

Yes, he'd been heard screaming for his life, and presently the men outside
drew off the hounds and was able to get into conversation with Amos and
larn the rights of his fearful story.

It was only a question of time after that and the field gave up hunting a
fox to save a man. Labourers were sent for, and the rocks attacked in good
earnest; and the huntsman did a very clever thing, for he sent his fox
terrier through the hole to Amos with a packet of sandwiches tied on