"Oh, no, no! I wouldn't do that for the world! If you'll let me have what I want no one shall ever know where I got it! I promise that faithfully! Besides, I'm not going to do any harm! I want the powder and shot to fire off a gun, and if you'll sell me some I'll pay you well. Look here!" —and Lionel drew half-a-crown from his pocket.
Bill Coysh looked at the coin, then he shook his head decidedly.
"Half-a-crown's not enough!" he declared contemptuously, "but if you care to fork out five shillings, I'll bring you enough powder and shot to fire off your gun half-a-dozen times or more!"
"That will do capitally!" said Lionel, whilst his companion regretted he had not asked for a larger sum. "Can you meet me here with the ammunition this evening, about seven o'clock?"
"Money to be paid in advance, sir?"
"No!" Lionel replied, after a moment's consideration, during which he reflected that that would not be wisdom on his part, seeing he had no guarantee for his companion's good faith; "no—half-a-crown now, and the rest when we meet this evening!"
"Very well," Bill Coysh agreed, accepting the proferred coin. "You're a sharp un, you are! I suppose you think I might run word, but I won't! I'll play fair, sir!"
"See you do!" Lionel retorted good-humouredly.
"And you'll never let on where you got the powder and shot?" the other questioned.
"No, certainly not; and I won't tell Sir Richard you were prowling about the woods with a lurcher! Mind you're here this evening about seven! We'd better not stay talking now, for if a gamekeeper came along—"