The Pothunters

aid the voice,

He'll have to do a good bit of digging before he

ee. Barrett, realizing that unless the keeper took it into his head to climb, which was unlikely, he wa

the keeper. 'Good dog, at

tedly, and redou

f scratchin

imal was getting farther away from the object of his search with every ounce of earth he removed, tickled him hugely. He would have liked to have been

he mouth of a keeper. The sound was too far away to be the work of Jack's owner, unless he had

, what's th

melt a rabbit,

rabbit h

, anyhow. Look a

bition to make a keeper's holiday, dug assiduously. 'Come away, Jack,' said the fir

if he had pulled Jack

gasped. His pill-boxes had been discovered. Surely they woul

m. 'Ow did they

k out," 'e says, "Saunders, for them boys as come in 'ere after eggs, and frighten a

ll in the woods, w

the woods!' thought

more freely, and began to debate within himself which way to go. Up the hill it must be, of course, but should he go straight up, or to the left or to the right? He would have given much to know which way the keepers had gone, particularly he of the dog. They had separated, he knew. He began to reason the thing out. In the first place if they had separated, they must have gone different ways. It did not take him long to arrive at that conclusion. The odds, therefore, were that one had gone to the ri

he received a terrible shock. From the bushes to his left, not ten yards from where he stood, came the clear, sharp sound of a whistle. The sound was repeated, and this time an answer came from far out to his right. Before he could move another whistle joined in, again from the left, but farther off and higher up the hill than the first he had heard. He recalled what Grey ha

om behind, a fact which he noted almost automatic

rained to the last ounce for just such a sprint as this, could beat a handful of keepers in their leggings and heavy boots. Barrett raced on. Close behind him a crashing in the undergrowth and the sound of heavy breathi

abbit-holes half hidden in the bracken, and still he kept his lead. He was increasing it. He must win now. The man behind was panting in deep gasps, for the pace had been warm and he w

human being. The figure did not wear the official velveteens. Therefore he had no business in the Dingle. And close behind thundered the keeper, now on his feet once more, dust on his clothes and wrath in his heart in equal proportions. 'Look out, man!' shouted Barrett, as the injured person rose to his feet. 'Run! Cut, quick! Keeper!' There was no time to say more. He ran. Another second and he was

s a rapidly nearing series of crashes announced the arrival of the man from the right fla

Keeper number one was exhibiting his prisoner. His narrative, punctuated w

Up agen ... minute ... (indistinct mutte

said another voice. The prisoner was having his say. 'I ass

e to Sir Alfred,' cut

umber one, vindictively. He was feeling shaken up with his run

efore somewhere,' thought Barret

something here, which

'And I object to your language. I tell you I was lying here do

dible. But Barret

rld coming to, when heads of Houses and School-prefects go on the poach! Fanc

going down the hill again. To Barrett's guilty conscienc

moment a grey-clad cyclist, who was pedalling in a leisurely manner in the direction of the School, arrived at the spot. A collision seemed imminent, but the stranger in a perfectly composed manner, as if he had suddenly mad