o look in and spy?" half whispered Waller.

"That I didn't. _I_ ar'n't the spy; it's 'im. I swarmed up the ivy to
see if that there young ullet was fit to take. But it warn't. But I
seed you'd got a light up there, so I went along sidewise, till I could
look in. There was you two, laughing and talking together in whispers,
and after a bit you jumps up and come and opened the window."

"Ah!" gasped Waller. "But you weren't there?"

"I warn't there! Warn't I just? Why, the window scraped over my head
and knocked my cap off as I bobbed down. There, it's no use for you to
pretend, Master Waller, so just you hand over that there fifty pounds."

Waller was silent for a few moments, and his eyes wandered in all
directions save that where the rough-looking woodman stood. At last,
after drawing a deep breath, he said in a hoarse whisper:

"Come along this way."

"Wheer to, lad?"

"Out in the woods."

"Ar'n't a-going to try and do for me so as to keep all the hundred
pounds yourself, are you, Master Waller?" said the rough fellow, with a
grin.

"No, of course not. I want to talk to you."

"That's right, lad. I wouldn't try to do t'other, because you might get
hurt, and I shouldn't like to hurt you, Master Waller, because you have
been a good friend to me, and I like you, lad, and I'm waiting to see
you grow up into being the finest gentleman in these parts. You won't
never want to chivvy me out of the woods, I know."

Waller uttered a low hiss, and hurried on in silence till they stood
together among the nut stubs overshadowed by the spreading oaks, when he
stopped short and faced round.

"You say you know that I shall never chivvy you out of the woods, Bunny;
but you know wrong, for I should like to do it now."

"Get out, lad! Not you! Why?"

"For being such a coward and sneak, and coming here to gather blackmail
and betray that poor fellow to the gallows, or to be shot."

"What are you talking about, lad? What if he is put away? He's only a
spy, come here to do harm to the King."

"That's nothing to do with you," cried Waller.

"Nay, but the money is. Half a hundred pounds is a lot. You needn't
make a fuss; you'll get your share. What's he to you? Has he broke his
leg, same as I did mine, when I wouldn't go away into the workus, and
you used to come and see me and talk to me till it got better?"

"Broken his leg? No!"

"Ho! Thought he had perhaps, because you like doctoring chaps as