striving and straining hee, day an' night and night and day, watchin' again
poachers, and thieves, and gipsies, and they robbing lads, if rules won't
be kep, and folk do jist as they pleases. Dang it, lass, thou'rt in luck I
didn't heave a brick at thee when I saw thee first.'

'I'll complain of you to my uncle,' I replied.

'So do, and and 'appen thou'lt find thyself in the wrong box, lass; thou
canst na' say I set the dogs arter thee, nor cau'd thee so much as a wry
name, nor heave a stone at thee--did I? Well? and where's the complaint
then?'

I simply answered, rather fiercely,

'Be good enough to leave me.'

'Well, I make no objections, mind. I'm takin' thy word--thou'rt Maud
Ruthyn--'appen thou be'st and 'appen thou baint. I'm not aweer on't, but I
takes thy word, and all I want to know's just this, did Meg open the gate
to thee?'

I made him no answer, and to my great relief I saw Milly striding and
skipping across the unequal stepping-stones.

'Hallo, Pegtop! what are you after now?' she cried, as she drew near.

'This man has been extremely impertinent. You know him, Milly?' I said.

'Why that's Pegtop Dickon. Dirty old Hawkes that never was washed. I tell
you, lad, ye'll see what the Governor thinks o't--a-ha! He'll talk to you.'