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102 'Don't much matter, squire; the otter's drownded before this.'

'May be; but will you put your hand in and draw him out?'

'No, thank 'ee,' replied the miller amidst the loud laughter of the crowd. 'Geordie's the man for that job.'

'I don't mind trying, sir,' said the gipsy, who unhesitatingly approached the rock, knelt in the water, put in his hand to the full length of his arm, and began feeling blindly about the inside. He had worked round three sides and reached the corner to the right when the otter gripped him by the ball of the thumb. His face, which was half turned to the onlookers, must have betrayed the pain he felt, for the woodman called out: 'Have 'ee got un, Geordie?'

'I don't know about that,' replied Geordie, ' but he's got me.'

Slowly he drew the resisting creature towards the aperture, but on being brought to the light it let go, and allowed the man to rise to his feet.

'Rather a nasty wound, Geordie,' said the squire, putting half a sovereign in the bleeding palm.

'Thank you, sir; 'tes only a scratch to some I've had. I'll have another try if you like, sir.'