Page:Tudor Jenks--The defense of the castle.djvu/50

26 to see the little fellow go scampering in such haste through the woods; but Hugh inquired whether they knew him.

"It is not near enough for me to be certain," Edgar replied, "but I think he is not one of the village folk. I do not remember any little fellow of just that age. But Amabel should know better than I, for she is forever pottering among the village folk. She seems to have a natural taste for the peasantry—a taste that I do not share."

"That is because you do not know them. They are a brave, kindly people," said the young girl; "and they bear their troubles with a patient goodness which makes me ashamed to complain of little annoyances."

"But," Hugh insisted, "do you know who the lad is?"

"No," she answered; "I do not think he is one of our people. If he were, I do not see why he should be in such haste to hide in the woods. He knows he has nothing to fear from us. But why do you ask?"

"I have no reason except that his running away seemed strange. It is more like a boy to stand staring at the roadside, or to come toward us," was Hugh's reply. "Boys like hunting, and they are full of curiosity, longing to know what is going on. Possibly, however, he saw some wild