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Hickathrift took his coat from behind the door, led the way to the place where his punt was floating, fastened to an old willow-stump; and as soon as his visitors were aboard he began to unfasten the rope. "Like to tak' a goon, sir, or a fishing-pole?" "No: I think we'll be content with what we can see to-night."
Hickathrift worked hard at the pole, and soon after rounding one great bed of reeds they came in sight of the rough gravelly patch with a somewhat rounded outline, which formed the Warren, and upon which was the hut inhabited by John o' the Warren, out of whose name "o'-the" was generally dropped.
"Oh!" ejaculated Dick; and there was so much genuine pain and agony in his voice that the squire grasped his son's hand. "Never mind, Dick; we'll build it up again." "Ay, squire, we will," cried Hickathrift; "and afore long." "And what is better, my boy, we saw the wretch who stole off the mere last night and fired the big reed-stack." "Yes, father," cried Dick excitedly.
Dick was going sadly away when a word from Hickathrift arrested him; and turning, it was to see that the big fellow was looking at him reproachfully, and holding out a hand for him to grasp. "Ay, that's better, lad," said the wheelwright smiling. "Good-bye, lad, and don't feight again!"
Hickathrift was close behind him, and the next moment he, too, had disappeared. "Is he there, Mr Winthorpe?" cried Marston excitedly; and he, too, stepped forward and entered the hut. "Why, what's it all mean?" said Farmer Tallington impatiently; and he, too, stepped up to the low doorway and entered.
And sure enough there was the doctor on his old cob coming along the fen road, with Hickathrift striding by his side, the man of powder and draught having been from home with a patient miles away when Hickathrift reached the town, and not returning till five o'clock. "He'll do right enough, squire," said the doctor. "Young man like he is soon mends a hole in his flesh.
"Ay, lad, I saw that," said the farmer, rubbing his hands together softly; "and first of all I thowt it was a will-o'-the-wisp, but it didn't go about like one o' they, and as it went out directly and came again, I thought it was some one wi' a light." "What, out on the watter?" said Hickathrift.
"Hillo!" shouted Hickathrift again and again; "squire!" There was no reply, and the chill of horror increased as the feeling that they were searching in vain out and in pressed itself upon all, and they knew that the man they sought must be in the water. "Here, howd hard," cried Hickathrift. "What a moodle head I am! You, Jacob, run back and let loose owd Grip."
"Thought I'd see you safe back," said Hickathrift so seriously that a feeling of nervousness which had not before existed made the boys glance round and look suspiciously at a reed-bed on one side and a patch of alders on the other. "What are you talking like that for?" cried Dick angrily; "just as if we couldn't walk along here and be quite safe! What is there to mind?"
"And did you see it, mester?" said Hickathrift. "Nay, my lad. I went on and on as quietly as I could go, and round the reed-bed, but all was as quiet as could be." "Didn't you see the poont?" said the wheelwright. "What punt?" said Tom sharply. Hickathrift looked confused. "Poont o' him as hed the light, I meant," he said hurriedly.
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