The moon was up, though not very high, and a few stars might be seen here and there in the blue canopy above.
Mr.Dan Duff proceeded on his way, not very quickly.

Some dim idea was penetrating his brain that the slower he walked, the better chance there might be of his meeting Rachel.
"She's just a cat, is that Susan Peckaby!" decided he, with acrimony, in the intervals of his whistling.

"It was her as put mother up to the thought o' sending me to-night: Rachel Frost said the things 'ud do in the morning.

'Let Dan carry 'em up now,' says Dame Peckaby, 'and ask her about the print, and then I'll take it home along o' me.' And if I go in without the answer, she'll be the first to help mother to baste me! Hi! ho! hur! hur-r-r-r!" This last exclamation was caused by his catching sight of some small animal scudding along.

He was at that moment traversing a narrow, winding lane; and, in the field to the right, as he looked in at the open gate, he saw the movement.