“So I think.”
“I’m sure.”
“Ted’s got him down somewhere.”
“Perhaps he’s hiding from Ted.”
“Can you see him now in the quarry?”
They crowded on the edge, looking over Bevis into the excavated hollow beneath. Now Bevis had not noticed when he crouched that he had put his hand almost on the mouth of a wasp’s nest, but suddenly feeling something tickle the back of his hand, he moved it, and instantly a wasp, which had been crawling over it, stung him. He pressed his teeth together, and shut his eyes in the endeavour to repress the exclamation which rose; he succeeded, but could not help a low sound in his chest. But they were so busy crowding round and talking they did not hear it.
“I can’t see him.”
“He’s not there.”
“He may be hidden behind the stone-heaps. There’s a lot of nettles down there,” said Crassus.
“Yes,” said another, and struck at the nettles by Bevis, cutting down three or four with his sword.