"
Holmes looks grave and Diggs's face falls. They are quite ready to
fight--no boys in the school more so; but they are prepostors, and
understand their office, and can't uphold unrighteous causes.
"I haven't been near his old barn this half," cries East. "Nor I," "Nor
I," chime in Tom and Martin.
"Now, Willum, didn't you see 'em there last week?"
"Ees, I seen 'em sure enough," says Willum, grasping a prong he carried,
and preparing for action.
The boys deny stoutly, and Willum is driven to admit that "if it worn't
they 'twas chaps as like 'em as two peas'n;" and "leastways he'll swear
he see'd them two in the yard last Martinmas," indicating East and Tom.
Holmes has had time to meditate. "Now, sir," says he to Willum, "you see
you can't remember what you have seen, and I believe the boys."
"I doan't care," blusters the farmer; "they was arter my fowls
to-day--that's enough for I.--Willum, you catch hold o' t'other chap.
They've been a-sneaking about this two hours, I tells 'ee," shouted he,
as Holmes stands between Martin and Willum, "and have druv a matter of a
dozen young pullets pretty nigh to death."
"Oh, there's a whacker!" cried East; "we haven't been within a hundred
yards of his barn; we haven't been up here above ten minutes, and we've
seen nothing but a tough old guinea-hen, who ran like a greyhound."
"Indeed, that's all true, Holmes, upon my honour," added Tom; "we
weren't after his fowls; guinea-hen ran out of the hedge under our feet,
and we've seen nothing else.
Pages:
275
276
277
278
279
280
281
282
283
284
285
286
287
288
289
290
291
292
293
294
295
296
297
298
299