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〃I　can't　see　any　way　at　all；〃　said　Henry；　looking　out　into　the　lane。　〃I　shall　get　up；　and　so　see　over　into　the　bend　of　the　road；〃　and　Hal　mounted　to　the　topmost　bar　of　the　gate；　and　sat　astride　there；　John　scrambling　after　him　not　quite　so　easily；　his　legs　being　less　long；　and　his　dress　less　convenient。　　Both　knew　that　their　Papa　strongly　objected　to　their　climbing　on　this　iron　gate；　the　newest　and　handsomest　thing　about　the　place；　but　thought　Hal；　〃Of　course　no　one　will　care　what　I　do　when　I　am　so　anxious　about　poor　Mamma！〃　and　thought　Johnnie；　〃What　Hal　does；　of　course　I　may　do！〃

So　there　the　two　young　gentlemen　sat　perched；　each　with　one　leg　on　either　side　of　the　new　iron　gate。　　It　was　rather　like　sitting　on　the　edge　of　a　knife；　and　John　could　scarcely　reach　his　toes　down　to　rest　them　on　the　bar　below；　but　he　held　on　by　the　spikes；　and　it　was　so　new　and　glorious　a　position；　that　it　made　up　for　a　good　deal　to　be　five　feet　above　the　road；　moreover；　Hal　said　it　was　just　like　the　mast…head　of　a　man…of…warat　LEAST；　when　the　waves　didn't　dash　right　overhead；　like　the　picture　of　the　Eddystone　Lighthouse。

〃Hollo！　what；　a　couple　of　cherubs　aloft！〃　cried　a　voice　from　the　road；　and　looking　round；　Henry　beheld　the　two　Grevilles。

〃Yes；〃　he　answered；　〃it's　very　jolly　up　here。〃

〃Eh！　is　it？　　Riding　on　a　razor；　to　my　mind。　　Come　down；　and　have　a　lark；〃　said　Osmond；　while　Martin；　undoing　the　gate；　proceeded　to　swing　it　backwards　and　forwards；　to　John's　extreme　terror；　but　the　more　he　clung　to　the　spikes；　and　cried　for　mercy；　the　quicker　Martin　swung　it；　shouting　with　laughter　at　his　fright。　　Henry　meanwhile　scrambled　and　tumbled　to　the　ground；　and　caught　the　gate　and　held　it　fast；　while　he　asked　what　his　friends　had　been　about。　　One　held　up　a　scarlet　flask　of　powder；　the　other　a　bag　of　shot。

〃You　haven't　got　a　gun！〃

〃No；　but　we　know　where　gardener　keeps　his；　and　the　governor's　out　for　the　day。　　Come　along；　Hal：　　you　shall　have　your　turn。〃

〃I　don't　want　to　go　far　from　home　to…day。〃

〃Oh；　stuff！　　What　was　it　Mamma　heard；　Osmond？　　That　your　mother　was　ever　so　much　better；　wasn't　it？〃

〃I　thought　it　was　worse；〃　said　Osmond。

〃Well；　never　mind：　　your　hanging　about　here　won't　do　her　any　good；　I　suppose。〃

〃No；　but〃

〃Oh；　he'll　catch　it　from　the　governess！I　say；　how　many　seams　shall　you　have　to　sew　to…day；　Hal？〃

〃I　don't　sew　seams：　　I　do　as　I　please。〃

〃Ha！　　Is　that　them　coming　out　of　church！〃

〃Oh；　it　is！　it　is！〃　cried　John　from　his　elevation。　　〃Oh；　help　me　down；　Hal！〃

But　Henry　did　not　want　Miss　Fosbrook　to　find　him　partaking　in　gate…　climbing；　and　either　that　desire；　or　the　general　terror　a　bad　conscience；　made　him　and　the　Grevilles　run　helter…skelter　the　opposite　way；　leaving　poor　little　John　stuck　on　the　top　of　the　gate；　quite　giddy　at　the　thought　of　coming　down　alone；　and　almost　as　much　afraid　of　being　there　caught　by　Miss　Fosbrook　coming　home　from　church。

It　was　a　false　alarm　after　all；　that　the　congregation　were　coming　out。　　John　would　have　been　glad　if　they　had；　for　nothing　could　be　more　miserable　than　sitting　up　there；　his　fingers　tired　of　clutching　the　spikes；　his　feet　strained　with　reaching　down　to　the　bar；　his　legs　chilled　with　the　wind；　his　head　almost　giddy　when　he　thought　of　climbing　down。　　He　would　have　cried；　could　he　have　spared　a　hand　to　rub　his　eyes　with；　he　had　a　great　mind　to　have　roared　for　help；　especially　when　he　heard　feet　upon　the　road；　but　these　turned　out　to　belong　to　five　little　village　boys；　still　smaller　than　himself；　who；　when　they　saw　the　young　gentleman　on　his　perch；　all　stood　still　in　a　row；　with　their　mouths　wide　open；　staring　at　him。　　Johnnie　scorned　to　let　them　think　he　was　not　riding　there　for　his　own　pleasure；　so　he　tried　to　put　a　bold　face　of　the　matter；　and　look　as　much　at　ease　and　indifferent　as　he　could；　under　great　bodily　fear　and　discomfort；　the　injury　of　his　brother's　desertion；　the　expectation　of　disgrace；　and　the　reflection　that　he　was　being　disobedient　to　his　parents　in　the　height　of　their　trouble！

There　is　nothing　in　grief　that　of　necessity　makes　children　or　grown　people　good。　　Sometimes；　especially　when　there　is　suspense；　it　fills　them　with　excitement；　as　well　as　putting　them　out　of　their　usual　habits；　and　thus　it　often　happens　that　there　are　tremendous　explosions　of　naughtiness　just　when　some　one　is　ill　in　a　house；　and　the　children　ought　to　be　most　good。　　But　it　is　certain　that　unless　trouble　be　taken　in　the　right　way；　it　makes　people　worse　instead　of　better



CHAPTER　XI。



Hal　had　got　into　a　mood　in　which　he　was　tired　of　fears　and　of　waiting　for　tidings；　and　was　glad　to　shake　off　the　thought；　and　be　carried　along　to　something　new；　he　and　the　Grevilles　were　rather　fond　of　one　another's　company；　in　an　idle　sort　of　way。　　They　〃put　him　up　to　things；〃　as　he　said；　they　made　a　variety；　and　he　was　always　glad　of　listeners　to　his　wonderful　stories；　which　rather　diverted　the　other　boys；　who；　though　they　sometimes　made　game　of　them；　were　much　less　apt　to　pick　them　to　pieces　than　was　Sam。

Poor　Captain　Merrifield！　what　had　not　befallen　him；　according　to　his　son？　　He　had　been　stuck　on　to　a　rock　of　loadstone；　he　had　been　bitten　by　mosquitos　as　big　as　jackdawsat　least　as　jack…snipes；　he　had　sat　down　to　rest　on　the　trunk　of　a　fallen　tree；　and　it　whisked　him　over　on　his　face；　and　turned　out　to　he　a　rattle…snakeat　least；　a　boa…　constrictor！　　Nay；　Henry　discoursed　on　the　ponies　he　had　himself　tamed；　the　rabbits　he　had　shot；　the　trees　he　had　climbed；　the　nests　he　had　found；　the　rats　he　had　killed；　in　terms　he　durst　not　use　when　his　brother　was　by；　or　if　he　did；　and　Sam　brought　him　to　book；　he　always　said　〃it　was　all　fun。〃　　It　often　seemed　as　if　he　did　not　himself　know　whether　he　meant　to　be　believed　or　otherwise；　and　as　to　his　intentions　for　his　sailor　life；　they　were；　as　has　been　already　seen；　of　the　most　splendid　character！　　Sometimes　he　shot　the　French　admiral　dead　from　the　mast…head；　sometimes　he　sailed　into　Plymouth　with　the　whole　enemy's　fleet　behind　him；　sometimes　he；　the　youngest　midshipman；　rescued　the　whole　crew　in　a　wreck　where　all　the　other　officers　were　drowned；　sometimes　he　shot　a　shark　through　the　head；　just　as　it　was　about　to　make　a　meal　of　Prince　Alfred！

He　certainly　was　thus　an　entertaining　companion　to　those　who　did　not　pay　heed　to　truth；　and　liked　to　hear　or　laugh　at　great　swelling　words；　and　the　Grevilles；　on　their　idle　day；　were　glad　to　have　him　with　them；　and　were　rather　curious　to　prove　how　much　fact　there　was　in　his　boast　of　being　a　most　admirable　shot。

Meddling　with　guns　was　absolutely　forbidden　to　all　the　three；　except　by　special　permission　and　with　an　elder　looking　on；　but　the　Grevilles　were　not　in　the　habit　of　obeying；　except　when　they　were　forced　to　do　so；　and　Henry；　having　once　begun　to　think　no　one　would　heed　his　present　doings；　was　ready　to　go　on　rather　than　be　accused　of　minding　his　governess。

So　the　gardener's　gun　was　taken　from　the　hiding…place；　whither　it　had　been　conveyed　from　the　tool…house；　and　the　three　boys　ran　off　together；　their　first　object　being　to　get　out　of　the　Greville　grounds；　where　they　could　be　met　by　any　of　the　men。　　They　got　quite　out　into　the　fields；　before　they　ventured　to　stop　that　Osmond　might　load　the　gun。　　Each　was　to　take　a　shot　in　turn；　Osmond　tried　first；　at　a　poor　innocent　young　thrush；　newly　come　out　for　his　earliest　flight。　　Happily　he　missed　it；　Martin　claimed　the　next；　and　for　want　of　anything　better　to　shoot；　took　aim　at　the　scare…crow　in　the　middle　of　Farmer　Grice's　beans。　　He　was　sure　that　he　had　hit　it；　and　showed　triumphantly　the　great　holes　in　its　hat；　but　the　other　boys　were　strongly　persuaded　that　they　had　been　there　before。

〃Well；　come　away；〃　said　Osmond；　〃this　is　a　great　deal　too　near　old　Grice's　farm…yard。　　If　we　go　popping　about　here；　we　shall　have　him　out　upon　us；　for　an　old　tiger　as　he　is！〃

〃Come　along；　then；〃　said　Martin。

But　Hal　had　just　got　the　gun；　and　saw　something　so　black　and　shiny　through　the　hedge；　that　he　was　persuaded　that　a　flock　of　rooks　were　feeding　in　the　next　field；　and　he　fired！

Such　a　cackling　and　screeching　as　arose！　and　with　it　one　dying　gobble；　and　a　very　loud　〃Hollo！　you　rascal！〃

〃My　eyes！　you've　been　and　gone　and　done　it！〃　cried　Osmond。

〃Cut！　cut！〃　screamed　Martin；　and　Hal；　not　exactly　knowing　what　he　had　done；　but　sure　that　it　was　something　dreadful；　and　hearing　voices　in　pursuit；　threw　down　the　gun；　and　took　to　his　heels；　but　the　others　had　the　start　of　him；　and　were　over　the　gap　long　before　he　could　get　to　it。　　And　even　as　he　did　reach　it；　a　hand　was　on　his　throat；　almost　choking　him；　and　a　tremendous　voice　cried；　〃You　young　poacher；　you　sha'n't　get　off　that　way！　　I'll　have　you　up　to　the　Bench；　that　I　will；　for　shooting　the　poor　old　turkey…cock　before　my　very　eyes。〃

〃Oh！　don't；　don't！　　I　didn't　mean　it；〃　cried　Hal；　turning　in　the　terrible　grip；　〃I　thought　it　was　only　a　rook！〃

〃A　rook；　I　dare　say！　　And　what　business　had　you　to　think；　coming　trespassing　here　on　my　ground；　and　breaking　the　hedges！　　I'd　have　you　up　for　that；　if　for　nothing　else；　you　young　vagabond！〃

〃Oh；　don't；　don't！　　I'm　Henry　Merrifield！〃

〃I　don't　care　if　you're　Henry　Merry　Andrew！〃　said　Farmer　Grice；　who　was　a　surly　man；　and　had　a　grudge　of　long　standing