Vane’s musings had been cut short off and turned into another track.
“Well,” he said, “perhaps they may have a chance to hunt out wounded rabbits, or find dead ones, and so earn sixpence a piece.”
Then, as he hurried on, taking off his hat now to wipe his steaming brow, he began to wonder who had given the pupils leave for a day’s rabbit-shooting, and came to the conclusion at last that Churchwarden Rounds, who had some land out in this direction had obtained permission for them.
“Don’t matter,” he said; “perhaps they’re not after rabbits after all.”
Soon after the lane turned in another direction and, as he passed round the corner, thinking of what short cuts any one might make who did not mind forcing his way through or leaping hedges, he once more glanced back at the gipsy lads, and found that he was only being followed by one.
“The other has given it up as a bad job,” he said to himself, and then, “How much farther is it? and what a wild-goose chase I am coming. They may have gone in quite another direction, for Joseph couldn’t be sure.”
Just then, though, an idea occurred to him— That he would easily find out where they were when they fired.
“I wonder whose gun they have borrowed?” For, knowing that they owned none, he began to run over in his mind who
would be the most ready to lend a gun in the expectation of getting half a crown for its use.