be
done while we are away."

"No, Maaster Jasper, no," he grunted. "You mus' stay 'ere oal day and
watch. You mus' eed out ov sight, but you mus' watch. Cos they be oal
deep. They knaw, they knaw!"

I understood his meaning, and saw that he was right; at the same time, I
felt I would have to risk being away, else how could I get the horses
without attracting attention?

"Little Eli 'll git the hosses," he grunted; "little Eli that everybody
do laugh at. But 'ee'll 'elp Maaster Jasper, 'ee will."

"But if you are caught stealing horses you'll be hanged," I said.

He laughed gleefully.

"Who'll catch little Eli?" he chuckled, "priest or knave? No, no! Is
little Eli a vool? Ef 'ee es, then mawther es too. But es she? es she?"

"But where will you get the horses?" I asked, anxiously. "Anything will
do for me or you; but she must have one easy to ride, for she is weak
and ill."

"I knaw, I knaw," he laughed. "Maaster Jasper 'appy again, Maaster
Jasper git his own. But he must watch, watch.

"Priests all shaved,
Clothed in black,
Convent walls,
Screws and rack.
Women walkin' in procession,
Cravin' for a dead man's blessin',
Weepin' eyes, wailin' cries,
Lonely, lonely, oal alone."

"Stop," I cried; "stop, I'll have none of that here."

"Aw, aw," chuckled Eli; "mawther ded zee, mawther ded zee. Never mind,
little Eli 'll git the hosses then--aw, we sh'll 'ave braave times, we
shall!" And he burst into an uncontrollable fit of laughter.

I must confess that he made me shudder, especially as I remembered how
much depended on our actions during the next twenty-four hours.

Presently he became more grave, more cautious, and when he had had his
breakfast, started to get horses.

"You'll be careful, very careful," I said anxiously.

"Iss."

"And what time may I expect you?"

"'T'll be dark at vive o'clock," he said, like one musing, "little
Eli'll be 'ere by seven. Eli c'n zee, aw, iss, iss," and then he went on
talking to himself, uttering all sorts of wild ejaculations.

"What do you mean by talking so strangely?" I said, but he gave me no
answer.

"You watch, Maaster Jasper," he said, significantly--"watch. The
Trezidders be'ant a-bait yet. Besides, there's the

"Priests all shaved,
Clothed in black,
Convent walls,
Screws and rack."

Then, as he leapt across the stream, he gave a curious cry, like the
cry o