Part 13 (2/2)

”He's no' there; ye would ha' seen him if he'd headed back”

There was silence for a moment or two and Foster heard the water bubble in the moss as the man moved his foot The felloould tread upon hiht direction, but his rass and his face and hands were hidden

Then the htful tone: ”I'm no' quite sure he went ower the dyke Ye see, I was kin' o' staggered by the clout on the head, and hePate, of course”

”Just hih to reach ht no' that bad Besides, wha' else would it be?”

Foster, seeing that he had escaped notice, felt auilty; the keeper's last argument banished doubt

”My heid's sair,” the len, and then tak' the road if ye'll row up the net”

The other crossed the field and Foster lay still until he heard him climb the wall and afterwards made for a hole that led into the road

Soht the partridges

He followed the road quietly, keeping in the shadow of a dyke, although he thought the ga a corner ca behind a thorn bush

”We thought they had caught ye,” one remarked

”I suppose you were anxious about it, because you were afraid I ether wrang, but whaur are they the noo?”

”Looking for you in the glen, I believe But which of you is Long Pete?”

The man he had met first said it was his naun means to declare that you struck hi ”Weel, it's lucky I hae twa three friends wha'll show that I couldna' ha' been near the spot just then

But we'll need to hurry”

”I think I understand,” said Foster, ent on with them ”Still you can't save much time, even if you walk very fast”

”Verra true,” Pete replied ”But it's no' difficult to pit back the clock”

Leaving the road presently, they struck across a bog that got softer as they advanced until Foster felt the rotten turf tremble beneath his feet All round were clumps of rushes, patches of slierous place for a stranger to cross, but his coh he sank to the top of his boots they reached firh track that crossed the side of a hill

”Yon's your road and ye'll see the clachan in aboot ato tak' ye in, ye can tell them ye're a freend o'

mine”

Foster thanked hihts shone aled along the roadside, and he thought one that was soe-house When he knocked he was shown into an untidy kitchen where twoby a peat fire At first, the landlord see able to find rooed when Foster carelessly mentioned that he understood froave hilance

”Where met ye Pate?” he asked

”On the hill,” said Foster, who felt sure of his ground ”I helped him with the net”