Page:Moonfleet - John Meade Falkner.pdf/143

 but Elzevir passed him the time of day in a civil voice, and he stopped and gave it back.

"What are you doing here, son?" Block asked.

"Scaring rooks for Farmer Topp," was the answer.

"Have you got a charge of powder to spare?" said Elzevir, showing his pistol. "I want to get a rabbit in the gorse for supper, and have dropped my flask. Maybe you've seen a flask in walking through the furrows?"

He whispered to me to lie still, so that it might not be perceived my leg was broken; and the boy replied,—

"No, I have seen no flask; but very like have not come the same way as you, being sent out here from Lowermoigne; and as for powder, I have little left, and must save that for the rooks, or shall get a beating for my pains."

"Come," said Elzevir, "give me a charge or two, and there is half a crown for thee." And he took the coin out of his pocket and showed it.

The boy's eyes twinkled, and so would mine at so valuable a piece, and he took out from his pocket a battered cowskin flask. "Give flask and all," says Elzevir, "and thou shalt have a crown," and he showed him a larger coin.

No time was wasted in words; Elzevir had the flask in his pocket, and the boy was biting the crown.

"What shot have you?" said Elzevir.

"What! have you dropped your shot-flask too?" asked the boy. And his voice had something of surprise in it.

"Nay, but my shot are over small; if thou hast a slug or two, I would take them."