you; here have I a sprained foot, and my wind
broken for a month at least. Why were you not quicker? If you had been
sharper we should have had the gentleman, I'll swear!"

"I tumbled down over the chair, and he got out of the window, and I come
out of the door."

"Well, I got entangled in the reins; but I got off after him, only his
long legs carried him over everything. I tell you what, Wilkinson, if I
were to be born again, and intended to be a runner, I would bespeak a
pair of long legs."

"Why?"

"Because I should be able to get along better. You have no idea of how
he skimmed along the ground; it was quite beautiful, only it wasn't good
to follow it."

"A regular sky scraper!"

"Yes, or something of that sort; he looked like a patent flying shadow."

"Well, get up and lead the way; we'll follow you."

"I dare say you will--when I lead the way back there; for as to going
out yonder, it is quite out of the question. I want supper to-night and
breakfast to-morrow morning."

"Well, what has that to do with it?"

"Just this much: if you follow any farther, you'll get into the woods,
and there you'll be, going round and round, like a squirrel in a cage,
without being able to get out, and you will there get none of the good
things included under the head of those meals."

"I think so too," said the third.

"Well, then, let's go back; we needn't run, though it might be as well
to do so."

"It would be anything but well. I don't gallop back, depend upon it."

The three men now slowly returned from their useless chase, and re-trod
the way they had passed once in such a hurry that they could hardly
recognize it.

"What a dreadful bump I came against that pole standing there," said
one.

"Yes, and I came against a hedge-stake, that was placed so as the moon
didn't show any light on it. It came into the pit of my stomach. I never
recollect such a pain in my life; for all the world like a hot coal
being suddenly and forcibly intruded into your stomach."

"Well, here's the road. I must go up to the house where I started him
from. I promised them some explanation. I may as well go and give it to
them at once."

"Do as you will. I will wait with the horse, else, perhaps, that
Beauchamp will again return and steal him."

The officer who had first entered the house now returned to the
Bannerworths, saying,

"I promised you I would give you some explanation as to what you have
witnessed."

"Yes," said He