The Stokesley Secret [47]
then," said Martin.
But Hal had just got the gun, and saw something so black and shiny through the hedge, that he was persuaded that a flock of rooks were feeding in the next field, and he fired!
Such a cackling and screeching as arose! and with it one dying gobble, and a very loud "Hollo! you rascal!"
"My eyes! you've been and gone and done it!" cried Osmond.
"Cut! cut!" screamed Martin; and Hal, not exactly knowing what he had done, but sure that it was something dreadful, and hearing voices in pursuit, threw down the gun, and took to his heels; but the others had the start of him, and were over the gap long before he could get to it. And even as he did reach it, a hand was on his throat, almost choking him, and a tremendous voice cried, "You young poacher, you sha'n't get off that way! I'll have you up to the Bench, that I will, for shooting the poor old turkey-cock before my very eyes."
"Oh! don't, don't! I didn't mean it," cried Hal, turning in the terrible grip; "I thought it was only a rook!"
"A rook, I dare say! And what business had you to think, coming trespassing here on my ground, and breaking the hedges! I'd have you up for that, if for nothing else, you young vagabond!"
"Oh, don't, don't! I'm Henry Merrifield!"
"I don't care if you're Henry Merry Andrew!" said Farmer Grice, who was a surly man, and had a grudge of long standing against the Captain, for withstanding him at the Board of Guardians. "I'll have the law out of you, whoever you are."
"But--but--Mamma is so very ill!" cried Hal, bursting into tears.
"The more shame for you to be rampaging about the country this fashion," said the farmer, giving him a shake that seemed to make all his bones rattle in his skin. "Serve you right if I flogged you within an inch of your life."
"Oh, please don't--I mean please do--anything but have me up to the magistrates! I'll never do it again, never!" sobbed Henry in his terror.
Mr. Grice had some pity, and also knew that his wife and all the neighbours would be shocked at his prosecuting so young a boy, whose parents were in such distress. So he said, "There, then, I'll overlook it this time, sir, so as I have the value of the bird."
"And what is the value--" asked Henry, trembling.
"Value! Why, the breed came from Norfolk; he was three years old; and my missus set great store on him, he was as good as a house-dog, to keep idle children out of the yard; and it was quite a picture to see him posturing about, and setting up his tail! Value! not less than five-and-twenty shillings, sir."
"But I have not five-and-twenty shillings. I can't get them," said Hal, falling back into misery.
"You should have thought of that before you shot poor old Tom Turkey!" quoth Farmer Grice.
"But what in the world shall I ever do?" said Henry.
"That's for you to settle, sir," said the farmer, taking up the unlucky gun. "I shall take this, and keep it out of further harm."
"Oh pray, pray!" cried Henry. "It is not my gun; it is Mr. Greville's; please let me have it!"
"What! was it those young dogs, the Master Grevilles, that were with you!" growled Mr. Grice. "If I'd known that, I'd not have let you off so easy. Those boys are the plague of the place; I wish it had been one of them as I'd caught, I'd have had some satisfaction out of them!"
Henry entreated again for the gun, explaining that they had not leave to take it; but the farmer was unrelenting. He might go to them, he said, to make up the price of the poor turkey-cock; how they could have got the gun was no affair of his; have it they should not, till the money was brought to him; and if it did not come before night, he should carry the gun up to the Park, and complain to Mr. Greville.
With this answer the unhappy Hal was released, and ran after his friends to tell them of the terms. He found them sitting on a low wall, just within their own grounds, waiting to hear what had become of him. When he had told his story, they both set upon him for betraying them, and declared that they should send him
But Hal had just got the gun, and saw something so black and shiny through the hedge, that he was persuaded that a flock of rooks were feeding in the next field, and he fired!
Such a cackling and screeching as arose! and with it one dying gobble, and a very loud "Hollo! you rascal!"
"My eyes! you've been and gone and done it!" cried Osmond.
"Cut! cut!" screamed Martin; and Hal, not exactly knowing what he had done, but sure that it was something dreadful, and hearing voices in pursuit, threw down the gun, and took to his heels; but the others had the start of him, and were over the gap long before he could get to it. And even as he did reach it, a hand was on his throat, almost choking him, and a tremendous voice cried, "You young poacher, you sha'n't get off that way! I'll have you up to the Bench, that I will, for shooting the poor old turkey-cock before my very eyes."
"Oh! don't, don't! I didn't mean it," cried Hal, turning in the terrible grip; "I thought it was only a rook!"
"A rook, I dare say! And what business had you to think, coming trespassing here on my ground, and breaking the hedges! I'd have you up for that, if for nothing else, you young vagabond!"
"Oh, don't, don't! I'm Henry Merrifield!"
"I don't care if you're Henry Merry Andrew!" said Farmer Grice, who was a surly man, and had a grudge of long standing against the Captain, for withstanding him at the Board of Guardians. "I'll have the law out of you, whoever you are."
"But--but--Mamma is so very ill!" cried Hal, bursting into tears.
"The more shame for you to be rampaging about the country this fashion," said the farmer, giving him a shake that seemed to make all his bones rattle in his skin. "Serve you right if I flogged you within an inch of your life."
"Oh, please don't--I mean please do--anything but have me up to the magistrates! I'll never do it again, never!" sobbed Henry in his terror.
Mr. Grice had some pity, and also knew that his wife and all the neighbours would be shocked at his prosecuting so young a boy, whose parents were in such distress. So he said, "There, then, I'll overlook it this time, sir, so as I have the value of the bird."
"And what is the value--" asked Henry, trembling.
"Value! Why, the breed came from Norfolk; he was three years old; and my missus set great store on him, he was as good as a house-dog, to keep idle children out of the yard; and it was quite a picture to see him posturing about, and setting up his tail! Value! not less than five-and-twenty shillings, sir."
"But I have not five-and-twenty shillings. I can't get them," said Hal, falling back into misery.
"You should have thought of that before you shot poor old Tom Turkey!" quoth Farmer Grice.
"But what in the world shall I ever do?" said Henry.
"That's for you to settle, sir," said the farmer, taking up the unlucky gun. "I shall take this, and keep it out of further harm."
"Oh pray, pray!" cried Henry. "It is not my gun; it is Mr. Greville's; please let me have it!"
"What! was it those young dogs, the Master Grevilles, that were with you!" growled Mr. Grice. "If I'd known that, I'd not have let you off so easy. Those boys are the plague of the place; I wish it had been one of them as I'd caught, I'd have had some satisfaction out of them!"
Henry entreated again for the gun, explaining that they had not leave to take it; but the farmer was unrelenting. He might go to them, he said, to make up the price of the poor turkey-cock; how they could have got the gun was no affair of his; have it they should not, till the money was brought to him; and if it did not come before night, he should carry the gun up to the Park, and complain to Mr. Greville.
With this answer the unhappy Hal was released, and ran after his friends to tell them of the terms. He found them sitting on a low wall, just within their own grounds, waiting to hear what had become of him. When he had told his story, they both set upon him for betraying them, and declared that they should send him