"Yo didna notice me efore, Alizon," cried Jennet in her sharp tone, and with her customary provoking laugh, "boh ey seed yo plain enuff, an heer'd yo too; and ey heer'd Mester Ruchot say he wad hide i' this thicket, an cross the river to meet ye at sunset. Little pigs, they say, ha' lang ears, an mine werena gi'en me fo' nowt."
"They have somewhat misinformed you in this instance," replied Alizon; "but how, in the name of wonder, did you come here?"
"Varry easily," replied Jennet, "boh ey hanna time to tell ye now. Granny Demdike has sent me hither wi' a message to ye and Mistress Nutter. Boh may be ye winna loike Mester Ruchot to hear what ey ha' getten to tell ye."
"I will leave you," said Richard, about to depart.
"Oh! no, no!" cried Alizon, "she can have nothing to say which you may not hear."
"Shan ey go back to Granny Demdike, an tell her yo're too proud to receive her message?" asked the child.
"On no account," whispered Richard. "Do not let her anger the old hag."
"Speak, Jennet," said Alizon, in a tone of kind persuasion.
"Ey shanna speak onless ye cum ower t' wetur to me," replied the little girl; "an whot ey ha to tell consarns ye mitch."
"I can easily cross," observed Alizon to Richard. "Those stones seem placed on purpose."