Swindle, indeed!" So Boscobel shouldered his axe, and marched off through the forest, visible in the moonlight till the trees hid him.
There was another enemy made! He had never felt quite sure of this man, but had been glad to have him about the place as being thoroughly efficient in his own business.

It was only during the last ten days that he had agreed to pay him for night-watching, leaving the man to do as much additional day-work as he pleased--for which, of course, he would be paid at the regular contract price.

There was a double purpose intended in this watching--as was well understood by all the hands employed: first, that of preventing incendiary fire by the mere presence of the watchers; and secondly, that of being at hand to extinguish fire in case of need.

Now a man ringing trees five or six miles away from the beat on which he was stationed could not serve either of these purposes.

Boscobel therefore had been fraudulently at work for his own dishonest purposes, and knew well that his employment was of that nature.