uite startled, the place being so silent and
solitary, but the idea of danger seemed to him absurd, and he stood
watching the shadow till all doubt of its being human ceased, for an arm
was raised and then lowered as if a signal was being made.

"What can it mean?" he thought. And then:--"I'll soon see."

Just as he had made up his mind to walk forward, there was a slight
movement and a sharp crack as of a twig of dead wood breaking under the
pressure of a foot, and he who caused the sound, feeling that his
presence must be known, stepped out from behind the tree.

"Why, I fancied it was Distie," said Vane to himself with a feeling of
relief that he would have found it hard to explain, for it was one of
the gipsy lads approaching him in a slow, furtive way.

"Thought they were gone long enough ago," he said to himself; and then
speaking: "Hi! you, sir; come here!--Make him try and dig some up.
Wonder they don't hunt for truffles themselves," he added. "Don't think
they are wholesome, perhaps."

The lad came slowly toward him, but apparently with great unwillingness.

"Come on," cried Vane, "and I'll give you a penny. Hallo! Here's the
other one!"

For the second lad came slouching along beneath the trees.

"Here, you two," cried Vane, waving his trowel; "come along and dig up
some of these. That's right. You've got sticks. You can do it with
the points."

The second boy had come into sight from among the trees to Vane's left,
and advanced cautiously now, as if doubtful of the honesty of his
intentions.

"That's right," cried Vane. "Come along, both of you, and I'll give you
twopence a piece. Do you hear? I shan't hurt you."

But they did not hasten their paces, advancing very cautiously, stick in
hand, first one and then the other, glancing round as if for a way of
escape, as it seemed.

"Why, they're as shy as rabbits," thought Vane, laughing to himself.
"It's leading such a wild life, I suppose. Here," he cried to the first
lad, who was now within a yard of him, while the other was close behind;
"see these? I want some of them. Come on, and I'll show you how to
find them. Why, what did you do that for?"

Vane gave a bound forward, wincing with pain, for he had suddenly
received a heavy blow on the back from the short cudgel the boy behind
him bore, and as he turned fiercely upon him, thrusting the trowel into
his basket and doubling his fist to return the blow, the first boy
struck him he