it is; now be off as soon as you please, and rid us of evil company.'

The woman had handed him two bags formed of stocking, half full of
something heavy, which looked through them for all the world like money
of some kind. The fellow, on receiving them, thrust them without
ceremony into the pockets of his coat, and then, without a word of
farewell salutation, departed at a tremendous rate, the hoofs of his
horse thundering for a long time on the hard soil of the neighbouring
road, till the sound finally died away in the distance. The strange
people were not slow in completing their preparations, and then, flogging
their animals terrifically, hurried away seemingly in the same direction.

The boy Jasper was last of the band. As he was following the rest, he
stopped suddenly, and looked on the ground appearing to muse; then,
turning round, he came up to me where I was standing, leered in my face,
and then, thrusting out his hand, he said, 'Good-bye, Sap, I daresay we
shall meet again, remember we are brothers; two gentle brothers.'

Then whining forth, 'What a sap-engro, lor!' he gave me a parting leer,
and hastened away.

I remained standing in the lane gazing after the retreating company. 'A
strange set of people,' said I at last; 'wonder who they can be?'

{picture:Then whining forth, 'What a sap-engro, lor!' he gave me a
parting leer, and hastened away: page47.jpg}