The Persecution of Bob Pretty Read online

water with his 'and, said it was quite warm. ThenLewis put the other foot in and began to walk about careful, 'arf-way upto 'is knees.

  "I can't find it," he ses, with 'is teeth chattering.

  "You 'aven't looked," ses Mr. Cutts; "walk about more; you can't expectto find it all at once. Try the middle."

  Lewis tried the middle, and 'e stood there up to 'is neck, feeling aboutwith his foot and saying things out loud about Bob Pretty, and otherthings under 'is breath about Mr. Cutts.

  "Well, I'm going off 'ome," ses Bob Pretty, getting up. "I'm tootender-'arted to stop and see a man drownded."

  "You stay 'ere," ses Mr. Cutts, catching 'old of him.

  "Wot for?" ses Bob; "you've got no right to keep me 'ere."

  "Catch 'old of 'im, Joe," ses Mr. Cutts, quick-like.

  Smith caught 'old of his other arm, and Lewis left off trying to find thesack to watch the struggle. Bob Pretty fought 'ard, and once or twice 'enearly tumbled Mr. Cutts into the pond, but at last 'e gave in and laydown panting and talking about 'is loryer. Smith 'eld him down on theground while Mr. Cutts kept pointing out places with 'is finger for Lewisto walk to. The last place 'e pointed to wanted a much taller man, butit wasn't found out till too late, and the fuss Keeper Lewis made when 'ecould speak agin was terrible.

  "You'd better come out," ses Mr. Cutts; "you ain't doing no good. Weknow where they are and we'll watch the pond till daylight--that is,unless Smith 'ud like to 'ave a try."

  "It's pretty near daylight now, I think," ses Smith.

  Lewis came out and ran up and down to dry 'imself, and finished off on'is pocket-'andkerchief, and then with 'is teeth chattering 'e began todress 'imself. He got 'is shirt on, and then 'e stood turning over 'isclothes as if 'e was looking for something.

  "Never mind about your stud now," ses Mr. Cutts; "hurry up and dress."

  "Stud?" ses Lewis, very snappish. "I'm looking for my trowsis."

  "Your trowsis?" ses Smith, 'elping 'im look.

  "I put all my clothes together," ses Lewis, a'most shouting. "Where arethey? I'm 'arf perished with cold. Where are they?"

  "He 'ad 'em on this evening," ses Bob Pretty, "'cos I remember noticing'em."

  "They must be somewhere about," ses Mr. Cutts; "why don't you use youreyes?"

  He walked up and down, peering about, and as for Lewis he was 'oppinground 'arf crazy.

  "I wonder," ses Bob Pretty, in a thoughtful voice, to Smith--"I wonderwhether you or Mr. Cutts kicked 'em in the pond while you was strugglingwith me. Come to think of it, I seem to remember 'earing a splash."

  "He's done it, Mr. Cutts," ses Smith; "never mind, it'll go all the'arder with 'im."

  "But I do mind," ses Lewis, shouting. "I'll be even with you for this,Bob Pretty. I'll make you feel it. You wait till I've done with you.You'll get a month extra for this, you see if you don't."

  "Don't you mind about me," ses Bob; "you run off 'ome and cover up themlegs of yours. I found that sack, so my conscience is clear."

  Lewis put on 'is coat and waistcoat and set off, and Mr. Cutts and Smith,arter feeling about for a dry place, set theirselves down and began tosmoke.

  "Look 'ere," ses Bob Pretty, "I'm not going to sit 'ere all night toplease you; I'm going off 'ome. If you want me you'll know where to findme."

  "You stay where you are," ses Mr. Cutts. "We ain't going to let you outof our sight."

  "Very well, then, you take me 'ome," ses Bob. "I'm not going to catch mydeath o' cold sitting 'ere. I'm not used to being out of a night likeyou are. I was brought up respectable."

  "I dare say," ses Mr. Cutts. "Take you 'ome, and then 'ave one o' yourmates come and get the sack while we're away."

  Then Bob Pretty lost 'is temper, and the things 'e said about Mr. Cuttswasn't fit for Smith to 'ear. He threw 'imself down at last full lengthon the ground and sulked till the day broke.

  Keeper Lewis was there a'most as soon as it was light, with some longhay-rakes he'd borrowed, and I should think that pretty near 'arf thefolks in Clay-bury 'ad turned up to see the fun. Mrs. Pretty was cryingand wringing 'er 'ands; but most folks seemed to be rather pleased thatBob 'ad been caught at last.

  In next to no time 'arf-a-dozen rakes was at work, and the things theybrought out o' that pond you wouldn't believe. The edge of it was alllittered with rusty tin pails and saucepans and such-like, and by-and-byLewis found the things he'd 'ad to go 'ome without a few hours afore, butthey didn't seem to find that sack, and Bob Pretty, wot was talking to'is wife, began to look 'opeful.

  But just then the squire came riding up with two friends as was stayingwith 'im, and he offered a reward of five shillings to the man wot foundit. Three or four of 'em waded in up to their middle then and rakedtheir 'ardest, and at last Henery Walker give a cheer and brought it tothe side, all heavy with water.

  "That's the sack I found, sir," ses Bob, starting up. "It wasn't on yourland at all, but on the field next to it. I'm an honest, 'ardworkingman, and I've never been in trouble afore. Ask anybody 'ere and they'lltell you the same."

  Squire Rockett took no notice of 'im. "Is that the sack?" he asks,turning to Mr. Cutts.

  "That's the one, sir," ses Mr. Cutts. "I'd swear to it anywhere."

  "You'd swear a man's life away," ses Bob. "'Ow can you swear to it whenit was dark?"

  Mr. Cutts didn't answer 'im. He went down on 'is knees and cut thestring that tied up the mouth o' the sack, and then 'e started back as if'e'd been shot, and 'is eyes a'most started out of 'is 'ead.

  "Wot's the matter?" ses the squire.

  Mr. Cutts couldn't speak; he could only stutter and point at the sackwith 'is finger, and Henery Walker, as was getting curious, lifted up theother end of it and out rolled a score of as fine cabbages as you couldwish to see.

  I never see people so astonished afore in all my born days, and as forBob Pretty, 'e stood staring at them cabbages as if 'e couldn't believe'is eyesight.

  "And that's wot I've been kept 'ere all night for," he ses, at last,shaking his 'ead. "That's wot comes o' trying to do a kindness tokeepers, and 'elping of 'em in their difficult work. P'r'aps that ain'tthe sack arter all, Mr. Cutts. I could ha' sworn they was pheasants inthe one I found, but I may be mistook, never 'aving 'ad one in my 'andsafore. Or p'r'aps somebody was trying to 'ave a game with you, Mr.Cutts, and deceived me instead."

  The keepers on'y stared at 'im.

  "You ought to be more careful," ses Bob. "Very likely while you wastaking all that trouble over me, and Keeper Lewis was catching 'is deatho' cold, the poachers was up at the plantation taking all they wanted.And, besides, it ain't right for Squire Rockett to 'ave to pay HeneryWalker five shillings for finding a lot of old cabbages. I shouldn'tlike it myself."

  "You ought to be more careful," ses Bob.]

  He looked out of the corner of 'is eye at the squire, as was pretendingnot to notice Henery Walker touching 'is cap to him, and then 'e turns to'is wife and he ses:

  "Come along, old gal," 'e ses. "I want my breakfast bad, and arter thatI shall 'ave to lose a honest day's work in bed."