I heard the cracking of Brookes's whip, too, in the still.
There! hear that ?" he continued, as there was a faint distant report.
"Master's yonder." Nic stepped to the corner of the room, where he had stood his gun when he entered, went to the window, cocked the piece, thrust it out with its barrel pointing upward, and fired, in answer to his father's signal.
"He'll know what that means.

All right," said the boy.

"Oh, mother, I feel so guilty; but he did tell me to stay and take care of you, for if I did not return he said he should know that all was right." "My word, young squire, you made me jump," cried Samson, coming to the window.

"Was that to siggernal the master ?" "Yes, of course." "I'm a-goin' to meet him now.

Too tired to come with me ?" "Oh no," cried Nic; and the next minute he was trudging along beside the old man, leaving the house with its windows lit up and the fire shining through the open door as a welcome home to the master.
"You ought to go first, young gentleman," said Samson, "but you won't know the way in the dark; and as I'm going along by the sheep track, there won't be room for you alongside me, so you'd better come behind.
Keep close, for it's dark under the green stuff and a bit awkward, but it cuts off a quarter of a mile.