There was a start, and a sudden cry of, "Lor-a-mercy, what's that?" from the cottage, which highly amused the boys, who glided on to the next, and then to the next, producing a similar sensation and exclamation in each, until they reached the last on their list, which they favoured with an extra number of shot.
"Run for it, Leslie," said Lynch, "I hear some one coming."
Neither of them could run with their usual speed, their suppressed laughter was so great; but this soon gave way to alarm as they heard the steps of their pursuer drawing nearer and nearer.
"We shall be caught, Leslie, let us turn into the field and cut straight across to the school."
They soon clambered through the hedge; Leslie catching his foot in a bramble, pitched head foremost into the grass, but before he could recover himself Lynch was lying by his side whispering, "Lie still, he's now passing."
As soon as they thought their pursuer had got to a safe distance, they scrambled on to their feet and darted across the meadow, straight as the crow flies, and in a few minutes gained the school-house without any farther adventure.
"I fancy I must have broken some of those glasses," said Leslie, "I fired so hard; but what a lark! how they all cried 'Lor-a-mercy!'" and the two boys burst into uncontrollable fits of laughter.
"Come, Leslie," said Lynch, who was the first to recover himself, "let us go in, or Wilson will find we are absent."
No one, however, appeared to have noticed their absence, and the two adventurers gained the school-room and resumed their seats unobserved.