the stokesley secret-第24章

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There　is　nothing　in　grief　that　of　necessity　makes　children　or　grown　people　good。　　Sometimes；　especially　when　there　is　suspense；　it　fills　them　with　excitement；　as　well　as　putting　them　out　of　their　usual　habits；　and　thus　it　often　happens　that　there　are　tremendous　explosions　of　naughtiness　just　when　some　one　is　ill　in　a　house；　and　the　children　ought　to　be　most　good。　　But　it　is　certain　that　unless　trouble　be　taken　in　the　right　way；　it　makes　people　worse　instead　of　better



CHAPTER　XI。



Hal　had　got　into　a　mood　in　which　he　was　tired　of　fears　and　of　waiting　for　tidings；　and　was　glad　to　shake　off　the　thought；　and　be　carried　along　to　something　new；　he　and　the　Grevilles　were　rather　fond　of　one　another's　company；　in　an　idle　sort　of　way。　　They　〃put　him　up　to　things；〃　as　he　said；　they　made　a　variety；　and　he　was　always　glad　of　listeners　to　his　wonderful　stories；　which　rather　diverted　the　other　boys；　who；　though　they　sometimes　made　game　of　them；　were　much　less　apt　to　pick　them　to　pieces　than　was　Sam。

Poor　Captain　Merrifield！　what　had　not　befallen　him；　according　to　his　son？　　He　had　been　stuck　on　to　a　rock　of　loadstone；　he　had　been　bitten　by　mosquitos　as　big　as　jackdawsat　least　as　jack…snipes；　he　had　sat　down　to　rest　on　the　trunk　of　a　fallen　tree；　and　it　whisked　him　over　on　his　face；　and　turned　out　to　he　a　rattle…snakeat　least；　a　boa…　constrictor！　　Nay；　Henry　discoursed　on　the　ponies　he　had　himself　tamed；　the　rabbits　he　had　shot；　the　trees　he　had　climbed；　the　nests　he　had　found；　the　rats　he　had　killed；　in　terms　he　durst　not　use　when　his　brother　was　by；　or　if　he　did；　and　Sam　brought　him　to　book；　he　always　said　〃it　was　all　fun。〃　　It　often　seemed　as　if　he　did　not　himself　know　whether　he　meant　to　be　believed　or　otherwise；　and　as　to　his　intentions　for　his　sailor　life；　they　were；　as　has　been　already　seen；　of　the　most　splendid　character！　　Sometimes　he　shot　the　French　admiral　dead　from　the　mast…head；　sometimes　he　sailed　into　Plymouth　with　the　whole　enemy's　fleet　behind　him；　sometimes　he；　the　youngest　midshipman；　rescued　the　whole　crew　in　a　wreck　where　all　the　other　officers　were　drowned；　sometimes　he　shot　a　shark　through　the　head；　just　as　it　was　about　to　make　a　meal　of　Prince　Alfred！

He　certainly　was　thus　an　entertaining　companion　to　those　who　did　not　pay　heed　to　truth；　and　liked　to　hear　or　laugh　at　great　swelling　words；　and　the　Grevilles；　on　their　idle　day；　were　glad　to　have　him　with　them；　and　were　rather　curious　to　prove　how　much　fact　there　was　in　his　boast　of　being　a　most　admirable　shot。

Meddling　with　guns　was　absolutely　forbidden　to　all　the　three；　except　by　special　permission　and　with　an　elder　looking　on；　but　the　Grevilles　were　not　in　the　habit　of　obeying；　except　when　they　were　forced　to　do　so；　and　Henry；　having　once　begun　to　think　no　one　would　heed　his　present　doings；　was　ready　to　go　on　rather　than　be　accused　of　minding　his　governess。

So　the　gardener's　gun　was　taken　from　the　hiding…place；　whither　it　had　been　conveyed　from　the　tool…house；　and　the　three　boys　ran　off　together；　their　first　object　being　to　get　out　of　the　Greville　grounds；　where　they　could　be　met　by　any　of　the　men。　　They　got　quite　out　into　the　fields；　before　they　ventured　to　stop　that　Osmond　might　load　the　gun。　　Each　was　to　take　a　shot　in　turn；　Osmond　tried　first；　at　a　poor　innocent　young　thrush；　newly　come　out　for　his　earliest　flight。　　Happily　he　missed　it；　Martin　claimed　the　next；　and　for　want　of　anything　better　to　shoot；　took　aim　at　the　scare…crow　in　the　middle　of　Farmer　Grice's　beans。　　He　was　sure　that　he　had　hit　it；　and　showed　triumphantly　the　great　holes　in　its　hat；　but　the　other　boys　were　strongly　persuaded　that　they　had　been　there　before。

〃Well；　come　away；〃　said　Osmond；　〃this　is　a　great　deal　too　near　old　Grice's　farm…yard。　　If　we　go　popping　about　here；　we　shall　have　him　out　upon　us；　for　an　old　tiger　as　he　is！〃

〃Come　along；　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。〃

〃ButbutMamma　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'tI　mean　please　doanything　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　to　Coventry　ever　after；　and　never　do　anything　with　him　again；　but　as　it　was　plain　that　the　gun　must　be　redeemed；　if　they　wished　to　avoid　severe　punishment；　there　was　a　consultation。　　Nobody　had　much　money；　but　Osmond　consolingly　suspected　that　the　farmer　would　take　less；　five…　and…twenty　shillings　was　an　exorbitant　price　to　set　o