“But you won’t now you’re told. Be off, please, at once; we can’t have you doing that.”
“Why, you’re never going to interfere with a stranger who’s trying to ketch a few podnoddles,” said the man, grinning.
“No, but I will with a stranger who has come spying and measuring that mine; so be off at once, and no more nonsense.”
“Let’s fetch the Colonel,” whispered Joe.
“Yah! go and fetch your grandmother,” snarled the man. “Look here, both of you, I didn’t interfere with you; don’t you come interfering with me, my lads, because I’m one of the sort who turns ugly when he’s meddled with.”
Gwyn hesitated for a few moments, and then stepped close up, clapped his hand on the man’s shoulder, and pointed toward the wall.
“Come!” he cried; “that’s the way, and don’t you come here again.”
The man turned upon him with a wild-beast-like snarl.
“Do you want me to pitch you down that hole?” he cried.
“No, and you daren’t do it,” cried Gwyn, whose temper rose at this. “Now, then, will you go?”