“Well, I guessed it, sir, and I said it was someone after the fruit; and I asked Phil if he’d come with me and watch and see who it was.”
“And he did?”
“Yes, sir; and we went down the garden and couldn’t hear or see anything, and we went right to the bottom, and as we were coming back we heard the pear-trees being shaken.”
“How did you know it was the pear-trees, sir?—it was dark.”
“It sounded like pear-trees, sir, and you could hear the big pears tumbling on the ground.”
“Well, sir?”
Courtenay spoke out boldly and well. He did not hesitate in the least; and I could not help feeling what a ragged dejected-looking object I seemed, and how much appearances were against me.
“I said to Phil that we ought to try and catch the thieves, and he said we would, so we crept up and charged them, and I had this boy, and I suppose Phil brought that man, but it was so dark I could not see what he did.”
“Well, sir?”
“Well, papa, this boy knocked me about shamefully, and called me all sorts of names.”