126 Turnaside Cottage.

cock in your pocket. Don’t see no signs of
him,” added he, stepping round, and pretending
cautiously to examine me.

“Indeed, Tommy, I have been up to no harm,” I
said.

“Bless you, lad, I knows that ; you couldn’t if you
was to want to. Have you been seeing a ghost, for
all? ’Taint a likely hour ; but you looks all struck
of a heap.”

“T have been on an errand,” said I, in great em-
barrassment ; “and I don’t want—it’s important—
in short, I shall be much obliged to you, Tommy,
if you won't mention having met me.”

“All right, my boy. [ve a forgot it already,
clean. Don’t I know as Master George loves a
surprise to his heart? If you’ve been about some-
thing to ’stonish him, ’taint no affair of mine.”

Pleased with this explanation of my secrecy, I
nodded, as though that were not just as bad as
saying yes outright.

“ Have a couple of water-cresses,” added Tommy.
“Tve got more here’n granny ’ll eat, and Nanty
Liza on top of that. Here!”

I took them, thinking that if I met anyone else
they would make a good excuse for my being out
at an unusual hour. But I only met two or three

children, and a woman going home from milking,