"I've been waitin' fur yo'," he said in a sonorous whisper which only failed to penetrate the innermost recesses of the dwelling through some miracle.
Murdoch turned out of the gate.
"Why?" he asked.
Mr. Briarley glanced toward the house uneasily, and also up and down the road.
"Le's get out o' th' way a bit," he remarked.
Murdoch walked on, and he shuffled a few paces behind him. When they got well into the shadow of the hedge, he stopped. Suddenly he dropped upon his knees and crawling through a very small gap into the field behind, remained there for a few seconds; then he re-appeared panting.
"Theer's no one theer," he said. "I would na ha' risked theer bein' one on 'em lyin' under th' hedge."
"One of whom?" Murdoch inquired.
"I did na say who," he answered.