ich he had forgotten to seize upon being
surprised.

The man before us was about six feet high, (when he appeared in the
character of a ghost, we thought he would measure nine,) with long hair,
and beard of fiery red, which seemed as though it had not felt the touch
of comb or scissors for months. Two little eyes almost concealed, and
overhanging eyebrows, glanced suspiciously at us, and watched our
movements, with an evident impression that we intended mischief, and
that if such was the case their owner was to be counted in for a fight.

Upon the back and person of the red-haired man were sheepskins, made to
fit his body, with the wool outside. These we had imagined were
grave-clothes, and had nearly broken our necks to escape from the
wearer. We could not refrain from indulging in a hearty laugh at our
late flight and the occasion of it, but our mirth made no impression
upon the mysterious being before us.

"No ye don't," he shouted, brandishing his knife before our eyes as
though we intended to entrap him into some snare. "You mustn't think
that ye is goin' to fool an honest man who is digging for roots by the
full of the moon."

"You dig rather deep for roots," said Mr. Brown, stepping to the edge of
the excavation, and looking down in spite of the threatening appearance
of the red-haired individual.

"I'll dig as deep as I please," he answered quickly.

"Of course I would," returned Mr. Brown. "Who knows but you may find a
buried treasure there if you keep on digging?"

"Is that what you coveys was arter?" demanded the red head, with a
degree of interest which he had not shown before. "I 'spected it when I
seed you yesterday crossing the Lodden, and I determined to watch."

"What are you doing in this part of the country?" asked Mr. Brown,
rather sternly, "as a recollection of the loss of his bottle of liquor
the night before began to dawn upon his mind.

"You have no right to question me any more than I have you," was the
sulky response.

"Who are you then?" the other asked, somewhat impatiently.

"That's for you to find out the best way you can. If confidence is
wanted, why, tell me who you are," and the red-haired genius seated
himself on the edge of the excavation, as though awaiting an answer,
although he still kept in sight his long and dangerous looking knife.

"I know who you are," my friend said, at a venture; "you are a shepherd
on the Hawkswood estate. We are officers of the law from Ballar