"What do you mean by such folly?" said the traveller, beginning to be

angry with the boy, and vexed with himself for having trusted such a

hare-brained guide.

"Why," said Dickie, with a grin, "you must tie your horse to that

upright stone that has the ring in't, and then you must whistle three

times, and lay me down your silver groat on that other flat stone, walk

out of the circle, sit down on the west side of that little thicket

of bushes, and take heed you look neither to right nor to left for ten

minutes, or so long as you shall hear the hammer clink, and whenever

it ceases, say your prayers for the space you could tell a hundred--or

count over a hundred, which will do as well--and then come into the

circle; you will find your money gone and your horse shod."

"My money gone to a certainty!" said Tressilian; "but as for the

rest--Hark ye, my lad, I am not your school-master, but if you play off

your waggery on me, I will take a part of his task off his hands, and

punish you to purpose."

"Ay, when you catch me!" said the boy; and presently took to his

heels across the heath, with a velocity which baffled every attempt of

Tressilian to overtake him, loaded as he was with his heavy boots. Nor

was it the least provoking part of the urchin's conduct, that he did not

exert his utmost speed, like one who finds himself in danger, or who is

frightened, but preserved just such a rate as to encourage Tressilian to

continue the chase, and then darted away from him with the swiftness of

the wind, when his pursuer supposed he had nearly run him down, doubling

at the same time, and winding, so as always to keep near the place from

which he started.

This lasted until Tressilian, from very weariness, stood still, and was

about to abandon the pursuit with a hearty curse on the ill-favoured

urchin, who had engaged him in an exercise so ridiculous. But the boy,

who had, as formerly, planted himself on the top of a hillock close

in front, began to clap his long, thin hands, point with his skinny

fingers, and twist his wild and ugly features into such an extravagant

expression of laughter and derision, that Tressilian began half to doubt

whether he had not in view an actual hobgoblin.

Provoked extremely, yet at the same time feeling an irresistible desire

to laugh, so very odd were the boy's grimaces and gesticulations, the

Cornishman returned to his horse, and mounted him with the purpose of

pursuing Dickie at more advantage.




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