Page:Lorna Doone - a romance of Exmoor (IA lornadooneromanc691blac).pdf/77

 with a crook upon my finger; so, you see; just so, Master Pooke, only a trifle harder."

"God sake, John Ridd, God sake, dear boy," cried Pooke, knowing me by this time; "don't 'e, for good love now, don't 'e show it to me, boy, as if I was to suck it. Put 'un down, for good, now; and thee shall have the very best of all is in the shop."

"Ho!" I replied, with much contempt, and swinging round the gun so that it fetched his hoop of candles down, all unkindled as they were; "Ho! as if I had not attained to the handling of a gun yet! My hands are cold coming over the moors, else would I go bail to point the mouth at you for an hour, sir, and no cause for uneasiness."

But in spite of all assurances, he showed himself desirous only to see the last of my gun and me. I dare say "villanous salt peter," as the great playwright calls it, was never so cheap before nor since. For my shilling Master Pooke afforded me two great packages over-large to go into my pockets, as well as a mighty chunk of lead, which I bound upon Peggy's withers. And as if all this had not been enough, he presented me with a roll of comfits for my sister Annie, whose gentle face and pretty manners won the love of everybody.

There was still some daylight here and there, as I rose the hill above Porlock, wondering whether my mother would be in a fright, or would not know it. The two great packages of powder, slung behind my back, knocked so hard against one another, that I