tooping down, at the same time seizing Smoker
by the neck, he pointed with his finger. Edward at first could see
nothing, but eventually he made out the horns of an animal just rising
above a hillock. It was evidently one of the wild cattle. Edward
cocked his gun and advanced cautiously, while Pablo remained where he
was, holding Smoker. As soon as he was near enough to hit the head of
the animal, Edward levelled and fired, and Pablo let Smoker loose, who
bounded forward over the hillock. They followed the dog, and found him
about to seize a calf which stood by a heifer that Edward had shot.
Edward called him over and went up to the animal; it was a fine young
heifer, and the calf was not more than a fortnight old.

"We cannot stop now, Pablo," said Edward. "Humphrey would like to have
the calf, and we must take our chance of its remaining by its mother
till we come back. I think it will for a day or two, so let us push
on."

No further adventure happened, and they arrived a little after noon at
Oswald's cottage. He was not at home; his wife saying that she believed
that he was with the Intendant, who had come back from London the day
before.

"But I will put on my hood and see," said the young woman.

In a few minutes she returned with Oswald.

"I am glad that you have come, sir," said Oswald, as Edward extended his
hand, "as I have just seen the Intendant, and he has been asking many
questions about you. I am certain he thinks that you are not the
grandson of Jacob Armitage, and that he supposes I know who you are. He
asked me where your cottage was, and whether I could not take him to it,
as he wished to speak to you, and said that he felt great interest about
you."

"And what did you say?"

"I said that your cottage was a good day's journey from here, and I was
not certain that I knew the exact way, as I had been there but seldom;
but that I knew where to find it, after I saw the forests of Arnwood. I
told him about Corbould and his attempt upon you, and he was very wroth.
I never saw him moved before; and young Mistress Patience, she was
indeed angry and perplexed, and begged her father to send the assailant
away as soon as he could be moved."

"Master Heatherstone replied, `Leave it to me, my dear;' and then asked
me what account Corbould gave of himself, and his falling into the pit.
I told him that Corbould stated that he was following a deer, which he
had severely wounded about noon-day, an