from one to the other,
lifting the little short hat from the back of his head, and
scratching that somewhat thick skull of his, as his habit was
when engaged in what he called thinking, conscious that somebody
ought to be tackled, and that he, the keeper, was being
mystified, but quite at sea as to how he was to set himself
straight.

"Wet, bain't 'ee, sir?" he said at last, nodding at Tom's
clothes.

"Dampish, keeper," answered Tom; "I may as well go and change,
the servants will be up at the house by this time. Pick up the
fish and come along. You do up the lines, Harry."

The keeper and Harry performed their tasks, looking at one
another out of the corners of their eyes like the terriers of
rival butchers when the carts happen to stop suddenly in the
street close to one another. Tom watched them, mischievously
delighted with the fun, and then led the way up to the house.
When they came to the stable-yard he turned to Harry, and said,
"Stop here, I shan't be ten minutes;" adding, in an undertone,
"Hold your tongue now;" he then vanished through the dark door,
and, hurrying up to his room, changed as quickly as he could.

He was within the ten minutes, but, as he descended the back
stairs in his dry things, became aware that his stay had been too
long. Noise and laughter came up from the stable-yard, and shouts
of, "Go it keeper," "Keeper's down," "No he bain't," greeted his
astonished ears. He sprang down the last steps and rushed into
the stable-yard, where he found Harry at his second wrestling
match for the day, while two or three stablemen, and a footman,
and the gardener, looked on and cheered the combatants with the
remarks he had heard on his way down.

Tom made straight to them, and tapping Harry on the shoulder,
said--

"Now then, come along, I'm ready."

Whereupon the keeper and Harry disengaged, and the latter picked
up his cap.

"You bain't goin', sir!" said the keeper.

"Yes, keeper."

"Not along wi' he?"

"Yes, keeper."

"What, bain't I to take un?"

"Take him! No, what for?"

"For night poachin', look at all them fish," said the keeper
indignantly, pointing to the shining heap.

"No, no, keeper, you've nothing to do with it. You may give him
the lines though, Harry. I've left a note for your master on my
dressing table," Tom said, turning to the footman, "let him have
it at breakfast. I'm responsible for him," nodding at Harry, "I
shall be back in a few hours, and now come alon