Part 52 (1/2)

Then there was a dull thud as the light was ht in a as thrown in

”Now for it,” thought Tom, and he involuntarily stretched out his hand to seize the stick close to the bed, but clenched his fist instead, and stood there in his confined stooping position ready to defend hione out at once

Suddenly there was a fresh darkening of the light, and Tom did seize the stout stick and hold it lance fashi+on, for the dog had leaped down into the hole, and now stood at the little entrance to the cave growling savagely

”Let 'em alone,” cried Pete, ”d'yer hear? Let 'e paid no heed It stood there with its eyes glaring, showing its teeth, and threatening unheard-of worryings of the interloper

Still Pete did not grasp the situation The dog in his esti to worry dead rabbits; and, leaping down into the hole, he kicked savagely at it,it yelp loudly and bound out of the hole, Pete, whose legs up to the waist had now been visible to To it with every epithet he could think of, and driving it before hiht To a circuit, struck out for hoain

But Tom did not feel satisfied, for it see in a cowardly way; and as he tra the lane, he wished that he had walked out boldly and confronted his eneether, he felt thoroughly grue, and it did not occur to hiin In fact it was this He had risen before the sun, and had a very long walk, going through a good deal of exertion without having broken his fast When breakfast was half over he felt in the highest spirits, for his uncle had ht

CHAPTER TWENTY EIGHT

Toht or so

The fruit kept on ripening, and twice over raids were arden, but whoever stole the fruit left no clue but a few footmarks behind, and these were always made by bare feet

”It's that there Pete,” said David; ”but foots is foots, and I don't see hoe can swear as they ressed, and busy as in progress in thethin narrow boards planed very accurately to half-a-dozen iron hoops by means of screws and nuts

Then caain to get sundry fittings fro three sether, so as to produce one that was an accurate plane or flat

It was understood that Uncle Richard would not be back for three days, and after seeing hie, as he was in the lower part of theahen the door was darkened

”How are you getting on, sir?” said David, as he stood there s job”

”What are you doing, sir?”

”Polishi+ng these glasses together so as to get one of theh What d'yer want 'em so flat for?”

”So as to ht quite exact--a perfect lass, arn't it, sir?”

”Yes”

”I wish you'd hts, and shohen Pete Warboys co all yer tallow-scoops”

”Impossible, David”

”Yes, sir, s'posed so when I said it But I say, Master Tom”