“Oh, daddy! what is it? Where's Reginald? Whatever have they done to you?”
“Brandy!” groaned the wounded man.
She flew into the house, and returned in a moment with a bottle. She put it to his lips.
He revived and told her all, in a few words.
“The young bloke and I went to crack a crib. I'm shot with a bullet. Hide me in that loose hay there; leave me the bottle, and let nobody come nigh me. The beak will be after me very soon.”
Then Mrs. Meyrick, being a very strong woman, dragged him to the haystack, and covered him with loose hay.
“Now,” said she, trembling, “where's my boy?”
“He's nabbed.”
“Oh!”
“And he'll be lagged, unless you can beg him off.”