'Ay!' said Stephen, with flashing eyes; 'I know where he's keeping a
covey of birds up against game day--nineteen of them. I've seen them
every day, and I could go to the place in the dark.'

'That's a brave lad!' said Black Thompson; 'he's got his father's pluck
after all, as I've always told thee, Davies, and we'll see him righted.
He's got his eyes in his head, has this lad!'

'They're down in the leasowe, between the Firspinny and Ragleth Hill,'
continued Stephen; 'and they're just prime, I can tell ye. And I know,
too, what he doesn't know himself. I know to some black game, far away
up the hill. He'd give his two eyes to see them, with their white
wing-feathers; and if he hadn't'--

Stephen stopped, with quivering lips, for he could not speak yet of
Snip's murder.

'Never take on, my lad,' said Black Thompson, clapping him on the back;
'we'll spoil his sport for him. Come thy ways with us; it'll be dark dusk
afore we gain the spinny, and Jones is off to the Whitehurst woods
to-night. We'll have as rare sport as the lord of the manor himself. Thee
art a sharp one. I'd lay a round wager, now, thee knows where all the
sheep of the hillside fold of nights.'

'Ay, do I,' answered Stephen, walking briskly beside Black Thompson; 'I
know every walk and every fold on the hills; ay, and many of the sheep
themselves. I keep my eyes wide open out of doors, I promise ye.'

'I'll swear to that,' said Black Thompson, glad to encourage the boy in