"Go and do it then; I'll wait till the afternoon." The men grinned, shouldered their picks, and went off, while the lad took a few paces in another direction; but turned sharply, and called the men again, with the same result--that is, they stood still and waited for him to join them.
"They're a pair of thick-headed fools, that's what they are," muttered the lad.

"I could teach a dog to be more dutiful.

Here, Nick--Ram--did you see those soldiers who came the other day ?" "Nay, only one o' their cloak things as they left behind." "Left a cloak behind ?" "Ay," said the second man.

"I fun' it." "What did you do with it ?" "Burnt it.

Warn't good for nothing else." "Do you know where they went ?" "Summun said they went to Black Tor, and old Eden set 'em to work in the mine, and keeps 'em there," said Nick, moving his head from side to side, so as to bring his eyes alternately to bear upon his young master.
"Oh!" said Ralph softly to himself.