Brown and East may be better at cricket and football and games, thinks he, but out in the fields and woods see if I can't teach them something.

He has taken the leadership already, and strides away in front with his climbing-irons strapped under one arm, his pecking-bag under the other, and his pockets and hat full of pill-boxes, cotton-wool, and other etceteras.

Each of the others carries a pecking-bag, and East his hatchet.
When they had crossed three or four fields without a check, Arthur began to lag; and Tom seeing this shouted to Martin to pull up a bit.

"We ain't out hare-and-hounds.

What's the good of grinding on at this rate ?" "There's the Spinney," said Martin, pulling up on the brow of a slope at the bottom of which lay Lawford brook, and pointing to the top of the opposite slope; "the nest is in one of those high fir-trees at this end.
And down by the brook there I know of a sedge-bird's nest.