CHAPTER VI.

"Now it is the time of night."

In the dark, deep shades of evening, the bat now flitted, and the lazy toad crept, croaking loudly to his mate. The glow-worm's lamp burned brightly from the moss, and the cricket was heard chirping from the hedge and thicket. Drumming through the air, the beetle hummed heavily along, and the screech of the owl drove many a mouse, trembling and afeard, back into its hole scooped in the old barn floor. Creatures who love the light had gone to rest, while those who live and revel in night's murky darkness, were now in the zenith of their pleasures.

Before the smouldering embers of a halfconsumed faggot, Mike Crouch sat on his log, occupied, by way of pastime, in spinning, alternately, a couple of half-crowns from the nail of his dexter thumb. The broad pieces rung musically in the air, as their possessor jerked them up, and he seemed to be so completely absorbed in the task, that he paid no attention to a slight rustle which was made at the entrance of the kennel.

"Ho there!" cried a voice; "there's neither handle nor latch to this door: how do you swing it upon its hinge?"

"I'll show ye, Peter," replied Mike, rising from his seat, and with a single kick he sent the faggot, taking the place of a more legitimate door, spinning from the opening.

"That's the way, is it?" rejoined the razorgrinder, compelled to bow as he entered, accompanied by Toby. "Am I later than you expected?" continued he.

"No," replied Mike, pointing to a log for

his guest to be seated, while he replaced the fagot, so as to exclude the mist and chilling air. "No," repeated he; "I thought you would be here just as the toads began to croak: it's about your time."

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Ha, ha!" laughed Peter, squatting hinselt upon the log, while Toby stretched himself at full length between his master's legs; "these are my time-keepers, are they?"

"I've fancied so in your visits to me, returned Mike.

"it's an

"Well," added the razor-grinder, hour when a great many eyes are shut, and one's movements not so likely to be noticed."

"That's true," said Mike, kneeling before the hearth and puffing the smoking sticks into a cheerful blaze; "and I'm glad you've come at this hour, for I wouldn't have it known in these parts that you were here to-night."

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"Why?" briefly inquired Peter.

"As I told ye in the morning," replied Mike, "I hold service now under the Squire, and al

VOL. I.

I

though it's suspected that I'm the biggest rogue in this neighbourhood, no one can prove that I

am."

Mike paused to blow the fire.

"Go on," said Peter Parkins, while Toby slightly raised his head from between his paws to listen to the reason.

"Now, it's not only believed," resumed Mike, "but every body knows you to be a rogue."

"There's not much ground left for a different conjecture," responded the razor-grinder, taking from his bosom a short black pipe, and cramming the bowl full of tobacco, which he carried, for convenience, in the crown of his hat; "and," continued he, "I'm not in the least ambitious of being considered in a different light."

for

"Nor should I," returned Mike, " except

my own ends to gain. But you see the difference there is between us: folks believe me

to be a rascal, but they can't date their belief

from any particular act o' mine, while a dozen or more could be brought as marks against your tally."

Peter Parkins applied a lighted twig to the bowl of his pipe, and, after sending some dense volumes of smoke curling upwards from his lips, to roll along the naked rafters of the roof, replied, "There is the distinction between us two, that exists throughout the world between them who take their neighbour's goods, and those who are caught in taking them. One entails a probable suspicion: the other insures a certain conviction."

Toby was so moved with this philosophical reasoning on the part of his master, that he rose from the floor, and turning his back, so that the movement could be distinctly perceived, shook the stump of his tail in a most positive expression of approval.

"What a gift of the gab you have!" observed Mike, leaving the fire now that it flared and crackled brightly, and threw a cheerful light