“Eh? What?” said another voice sharply, and a fresh comer suddenly appeared upon the scene in the shape of Uncle Paul, who stared in astonishment at the group as he stepped into the little amphitheatre from behind the rocks.
His appearance acted like magic upon the soldiers, who brought their muskets to the carry, while the sergeant sprang to attention and saluted.
“After escaped prisoners, sir. Asking the young gentleman if he had got one of them up here.”
“Pooh! Nonsense! Absurd!” cried the gentleman addressed, just as Rodd brought his fish to land and went down on one knee to grip it in his left hand. “Prisoners, no!” literally barked the fresh comer, setting down his bottle and net, and taking off his straw hat to wipe his streaming face with a big yellow and red bandanna handkerchief. “Here, Rodd, boy,” he cried, with a chuckle, “empty your pockets and then open your creel and show the sergeant how many prisoners you have caught. Hot up here, my lad!” he continued, and the sergeant and men grinned. “Thirsty?”
“Yes, sir,” said the sergeant, grinning; “pretty tidy. We have had a precious good run.”
“Well, there’s plenty of beautiful water. Shall I lend you my drinking-cup?”
“Thankye, sir,” said the sergeant.
“Thankye, indeed!” said the bluff speaker, with a chuckle, and he thrust his hand into his pocket. “There you are; there’s a shilling for you to get some cider. I dare say you know where better than I can tell you. No, we have seen no prisoners.”
“Thank you, sir! You are a gentleman,” said the sergeant. “Didn’t want to interfere with the young gent’s sport, but we had got our duty to do. Left face, my lads! Forward!” And the next minute the military party were on the tramp, to pass through the entrance to the little amphitheatre and disappear, just as Uncle Paul was lowering himself gently down upon a huge boulder stone and dragging round the wallet which hung from his right shoulder.
“Phew!” he gasped. “Pretty job I have had to find you, Pickle! I took a short cut, as I thought, and it proved a long one. I have had a round. Aren’t you hungry, boy?”