Chapter Ten.
A Trimmering Expedition.
A stormy time ensued, lasting about a fortnight, during which the draining business was hindered; but, upon the whole, the progress made was steady, for a number of men were now employed, and the fen people, who visited the outfall now and then, began to realise what kind of dyke it was that would run across the great swamp.
At last one evening, as the lads had wandered down to Hickathrift’s, and were talking to the great bluff wheelwright as he worked away with his axe at roughly shaping the shaft of a sledge, Dave came silently up, followed by the little decoy-dog; and the first knowledge of his presence was given by an attack made upon Hickathrift’s big lurcher, which, after showing its teeth angrily, settled down, and seemed to look scornfully at the little animal, before closing its eyes as if to go to sleep.
“Hallo, Dave!” cried the lads together; “want us?”
“Nay, I don’t want you, my lads.”
“Well, then, we want you,” cried Tom.
“Eh?”
“To take us out after the pike, as you promised.”
“Nay, it would be too cold, and you wouldn’t like it.”