Page:Execution, or, The affecting history of Tom Bragwell.pdf/5

 again wi’ this e’e, but he kens we could easily-find him out the night, for its no dark yet.

"Yes," cried I, "there is an that sees you;" but, before I had time to finish the sentence, had taken to his heels, got across the field, and without looking behind, leaped over the wall, and was out of sight in an instant. , at the impulse of the moment, fled also, but having stumbled into a deep furrow, and observing on his getting up, that I had not proceeded to lay violent hands on his remaining companions, he returned. The other two had been too much petrified at the time to attempt to fly, and, as came forward, they stood trembling, and in tears, before me.

As it was my object rather to reclaim than to terrify, my first effort was to restore confidence by soothing expressions. "Come forward, my young man," said I to, "you have got quit of your adversary. What fellow was that, I pray, who talked so lustily, and, by his defiance of fate, seemed to 'mouth the heavens;' yet fled at my approach; nor looked behind him, though there was neither thunder nor lightning at his heels.

seemed lost in thought, and was too much taken up with his own situation to make an immediate answer; gave me to understand that the name of the runaway was ; that he was the son of an industrious mechanic, but one of those easy sort of creatures, who do not love to be hard upon their little ones; who think the greatest punishment that should be inflicted upon them, is to threaten well, but never to lay on;