Gray came forward promptly and said, "A sovereign for the first man who fetches him down!"
"Two pound each to the men who hold 'em while I get away," yelled George.
A faint cheer from the labourers. "Look here," cried Gray; "he can't pay you! I'll give five pounds to the man who brings him down."
George booed and dropped a branch on Gray's head. "I'm after them quids," said a strapping farm-hand, throwing off his coat and clambering up the tree.
"Pull him down!" cried George. "You'll all get in gaol for this if you're not careful."
Another man followed the first one, and a third followed the second.
"Five pound to the one who gets him," yelled Gray, encouragingly.
George tore off a branch and hit out at the first man as he came within reach. The man grew angry and grabbed at George's leg. Missing it, he clutched at the tree, and received a boot on his fingers. The howl that followed unnerved the third man, who descended in haste on to Parrott's shoulders.
George now climbed out to the end of a branch and worried the man that was overhauling him.
"You'll get six months for this," he said in a terrible voice.