Part 49 (2/2)

”Ay, we'll take care o' that, sir But ht in the second black-currant tree Yes, here it is”

”That's right then, sir There's your place, and I've got so better for you this time I stuffed two sacks full o' hay, and you can sit do like on a cushi+on, and pull the horse-cloth you'll find folded up over you”

”But what about you?”

”Oh, I've got one too, sir I'ht Now then--mum!”

The hay lance round and listening intently Then Toht was chilly, and found it very warm and coe reached hi of the clock, the noise of wheels, the donkey's braying, with a regularity wonderfully like that of the previous night, and then all silence and darkness, and ears strained to hear the rustling sound whichover the wall

The ti cloak-fashi+on over his shoulders, listened to note whether Davidsound hewhich resehark_, which was followed by very heavy breathing

”Gone to sleep again,” said To to sit and watch?”

He secured his hazel, aimed for where his coave hihtest effect, and another and another were ad that he would have to administer a smart cut to wake up his companion, Tom set himself to watch alone

”Don't e just as ithout him”

And then he sat in the thick darkness, with his ears strained to catch the slightest noise, thinking over the Vicar's visit that day, and about hoould like to catch Master Pete

It was very warm and comfortable inside the horse-cloth, and must have been close upon nine o'clock, but he had not heard it strike David was breathing regularly, so loudly sometimes that To becaht Tom ”I dare say he is very tired, and I don't want to talk to him He's company all the same, even if he is asleep

Wonder whether this speculu very hard now, but if Pete ca to notice the sound Besides, he would not suspect that any one atching out there in the darkness

But the breathing was very loud now, and hoar! The hay, too, was very soft, and the stick all ready for Master Pete when he came It would be so easy to hear hi, that was first cousin to a snore, now ceased, and the slightest sound --and then it was all blank

How long?

Toht that seemed to crush hiainst hihts were off in another direction, for, just in front, he could hear a rustling sound, as if so forward, he could just faintly see what appeared like a shadow busy at the Marie Louise pear-tree

”Then he has coht Tom, as his hand closed upon the stick he still held Softly letting the horse-cloth glide fro horribly stiff, but getting upon his legs without a sound

And all the ti on at the tree upon the wall, as the shadowit slowly

All this was only a ht which came to Tom's busy brain--should he try to awaken David?

”If I do,” he felt, ”there will be noise enough to scare the thief, and he'll escape”