But as soon as he grasped its contents--looking at them as a well-educated lad for his days, fresh from the big town grammar-school--he slapped his thigh with one hand, and burst into a roar of laughter, while his father looked on with a grim smile.
"What is it, Dick ?" cried Tom eagerly.
"Here's a game!" cried Dick.

"Just look!" There was not much on the paper, and that was written in a clumsy printing-letter fashion, beneath a rough sketch, and with another to finish.
"Why, here's a hollow turnip and two sticks!" cried Dick aloud; "and-- and what is it, Tom ?" `stope the dyke or yow hev 2 dighe' "Stop the dyke or you'll have to dig," said Tom eagerly.

"You'll have to dig! Does he mean dig the ditch ?" "No!" roared Dick; "that's the way he spells die, and that long square thing's meant for a coffin." "Yes, Dick, and that's the spirit in which to take such a cowardly threat--laugh at it," said the squire, replacing the letter in his pocket-book.

"I only wish I knew who sent it.

Who's this coming ?" "Why, it's Dave!" cried Tom eagerly, as the man came slowly along one of the winding lanes of water in his punt.
"Oh, yes, I remember!" said the squire; "he was here yesterday and said he would come and fetch you, Dick, if you liked to go, over to the decoy." "And you never said a word about it, father! Here, come along, Tom." The latter glanced at his father, but read consent in his eyes, and the two lads dashed off together.
"Seems to be letting him idle a deal," said Farmer Tallington thoughtfully.
"Not it," said the squire.