ating, but
you must catch a dishful."

"Why, Leather, you seem to know everything about the country."

"I have had a long training, sir. You will know more than I do when you
have been here two or three years. Now, then, throw in again."

"Here, hi! Do you know one of them sheep's falled down into a hole?
I'm sure master don't mean you to be wasting all your time out there,
and idling about like a schoolboy."

This was yelled hoarsely from some fifty yards away, and Nic saw that
his companion started as if he had been stung.

An angry speech was on Nic's lips at this interruption, but he checked
it, for he knew that he had no right to keep the man from his work.

"Coming directly," he said in loud tones. Then to. Leather: "Stop a
minute while I catch another, and then you shall go. You must land it
for me."

Brookes was not kept long waiting, for another fish was hooked and
landed in the same way; but before Leather had scooped it out Brookes
was shouting again furiously.

"Must go, sir," said the convict.

"Stop and I'll come with you," cried Nic, laying down his rod as soon as
the fish was unhooked, and he hurried with the man to where Brookes
stood talking, though half he said was inaudible.

"Here, Master Nic," he said, as they approached; "I dunno what your
father'll say. Here's one of his best sheep o' that new breed down in a
hole. You've no business to let that fellow leave his work."

"Where is it?" said Leather anxiously.

"Where is it? Where d'yer s'pose it is?" said Brookes fiercely. "Down
in the narrer."

"The sheep were all safe a few minutes ago," said Leather; and he ran
off.

"Oh, yes," said Brookes, in a sneering tone; "'course they were."

"Is it badly hurt?"

"Badly hurt? I s'pose so. It'll have to be killed."

He trudged on, muttering surlily, and Nic followed up on to the level
ground, where they could see the convict lowering himself down, only his
head and shoulders being visible.

The next minute they were standing at the edge of a narrow rift some six
feet wide and as many deep--a rift that ran on down into the valley they
had just quitted, and at the bottom of which lay a sheep bleating
piteously as Leather bestrode its woolly carcass.

"Why didn't you pull it out instead of coming sneaking after us?" cried
Nic.

"Eh? What?" cried Brookes, staring. "'Tain't my place to look after
they sheep. Leatherhead was set to do it, and he goes on neglecting his
w