the squire's preserves, and I found this sack a 'undred yards away from
it."

"Don't waste more time," ses Mr. Cutts to Lewis.

"Off with your clothes and in with you. Anybody'd think you was afraid
of a little cold water."

"Whereabouts did 'e pitch it in?" ses Lewis.

Bob Pretty pointed with 'is finger exactly where 'e thought it was, but
they wouldn't listen to 'im, and then Lewis, arter twice saying wot a bad
cold he'd got, took 'is coat off very slow and careful.

[Illustration: "Bob Pretty pointed with 'is finger exactly where 'e
thought it was."]

"I wouldn't mind going in to oblige you," ses Bob Pretty, "but the pond
is so full o' them cold, slimy efts; I don't fancy them crawling up agin
me, and, besides that, there's such a lot o' deep holes in it. And
wotever you do don't put your 'ead under; you know 'ow foul that water
is."

Keeper Lewis pretended not to listen to 'im. He took off 'is clothes
very slowly and then 'e put one foot in and stood shivering, although
Smith, who felt the water with his 'and, said it was quite warm. Then
Lewis put the other foot in and began to walk about careful, 'arf-way up
to 'is knees.

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