Isawatoncethatitwasvaintomakeanypursuitbymoonlight；andresolvingtoholdmyowncounselaboutitthoughpuzzlednotalittleandtokeepwatchthereanothernight，backIreturnedtothetallatt-ladder，andsleptwithoutleavingofftillmorning。
Nowmanypeoplemaywishtoknow，asindeedImyselfdidverygreatly，whathadbroughtMasterHuckabackoverfromDulverton，atthattimeofyear，whentheclothingbusinesswasmostactiveonaccountofharvestwages，andwhenthenewwheatwasbeginningtosamplefromtheearlypartsupthecountryforhemeddledaswellincorn-dealingandwhenwecouldnotattendtohimproperlybyreasonofouroccupation。Andyetmoresurprisingitseemedtomethatheshouldhavebroughthisgranddaughteralso，insteadofthetroopofdragoons，withoutwhichhehadvowedhewouldnevercomehereagain。Andhowhehadmanagedtoenterthehousetogetherwithhisgranddaughter，andbesittingquiteathomeintheparlourthere，withoutanyknowledgeorevensuspiciononmypart。Thatlastquestionwaseasilysolved，formotherherselfhadadmittedthembymeansofthelittlepassage，duringachorusoftheharvest-songwhichmighthavedrownedanearthquake：butasforhismeaningandmotive，andapparentneglectofhisbusiness，nonebuthimselfcouldinterpretthem；andashedidnotseefittodoso，wecouldnotberudeenoughtoinquire。
Heseemedinnohurrytotakehisdeparture，thoughhisvisitwassoinconvenienttous，ashimselfindeedmusthavenoticed：andpresentlyLizzie，whowasthesharpestamongus，saidinmyhearingthatshebelievedhehadpurposelytimedhisvisitsothathemighthavelibertytopursuehisownobject，whatsoeveritwere，withoutinterruptionfromus。MothergazedharduponLizzieatthis，havingformedaverydifferentopinion；
butAnnieandmyselfagreedthatitwasworthlookinginto。
Nowhowcouldwelookintoit，withoutwatchingUncleReuben，wheneverhewentabroad，andtryingtocatchhiminhisspeech，whenhewastakinghiseaseatnight。For，inspiteofallthedisgustwithwhichhehadspokenofharvestwassailing，therewasnotamancomingintoourkitchenwholikeditbetterthanhedid；onlyinaquietway，andwithouttoomanywitnesses。Nowtoendeavourtogetatthepurposeofanyguest，evenatreacherousonewhichwehadnorighttothinkUncleReubenbymeansofobservinghiminhiscups，isathingwhicheventhelowestofpeoplewouldregardwithabhorrence。Andtomyminditwasnotclearwhetheritwouldbefair-playatalltofollowavisitorevenatadistancefromhomeandclearofourpremises；exceptforthepurposeoffetchinghimback，andgivinghimmoretogoonwith。Neverthelesswecouldnotbutthink，thetimesbeingwildanddisjointed，thatUncleBenwasnotusingfairlythepartofaguestinourhouse，tomakelongexpeditionsweknewnotwhither，andinvolveusintroubleweknewnotwhat。
ForhismodewasdirectlyafterbreakfasttopraytotheLordalittlewhichusednottobehispractice，andthentogoforthuponDolly，thewhichwasourAnnie’spony，veryquietandrespectful，withabagofgoodvictualshungbehindhim，andtwogreatcavalrypistolsinfront。Andhealwaysworehismeanestclothesasifexpectingtoberobbed，ortodisarmthetemptationthereto；andhenevertookhisgoldenchronometerneitherhisbagofmoney。SomuchthegirlsfoundoutandtoldmeforIwasneverathomemyselfbyday；andtheyverycraftilyspurredmeon，havinglessnobleideasperhaps，tohituponUncleReuben’strack，andfollow，andseewhatbecameofhim。
Forheneverreturneduntildarkormore，justintimetobeinbeforeus，whowerecominghomefromtheharvest。AndthenDollyalwaysseemedveryweary，andstainedwithamuckfrombeyondourparish。
ButIrefusedtofollowhim，notonlyforthelossofaday’sworktomyself，andatleasthalfadaytotheothermen，butchieflybecauseIcouldnotthinkthatitwouldbeuprightandmanly。ItwasallverywelltocreepwarilyintothevalleyoftheDoones，andheedeverythingaroundme，bothbecausetheywerepublicenemies，andalsobecauseIriskedmylifeateverystepItookthere。Butastotrackingafeebleoldmanhoweversubtlehemightbe，aguestmoreoverofourown，andarelativethroughmymother——’Onceforall，’
Isaid，’itisbelowme，andIwon’tdoit。’
Thereupon，thegirls，knowingmyway，ceasedtotormentmeaboutit：butwhatwasmyastonishmenttheverynextdaytoperceivethatinsteadoffourteenreapers，wewereonlythirteenleft，directlyourbreakfastwasdonewith——ormowersratherIshouldsay，forweweregoneintothebarleynow。
’Whohasbeenandlefthisscythe？’Iasked；’andhere’satincupneverbeenhandled!’
’Whoy，dudn’teeknaw，MaisterJan，’saidBillDadds，lookingatmequeerly，’asJanVrywurganeavorebraxvass。’
’Oh，verywell，’Ianswered，’Johnknowswhatheisdoing。’ForJohnFrywasakindofforemannow，anditwouldnotdotosayanythingthatmightlessenhisauthority。However，Imadeupmymindtoropehim，whenIshouldcatchhimbyhimself，withoutperiltohisdignity。
ButwhenIcamehomeintheevening，lateandalmostweary，therewasnoAnniecookingmysupper，norLizziebythefirereading，norevenlittleRuthHuckabackwatchingtheshadowsandpondering。Uponthis，Iwenttothegirls’room，notintheverybestoftempers，andthereIfoundallthreeoftheminthelittleplacesetapartforAnnie，eagerlylisteningtoJohnFry，whowastellingsomegreatadventure。Johnhadagreatjugofalebesidehim，andahornwelldrained；andheclearlylookeduponhimselfasahero，andthemaidsseemedtobeofthesameopinion。
’Welldone，John，’mysisterwassaying，’capitallydone，JohnFry。Howverybraveyouhavebeen，John。
Nowquick，letusheartherestofit。’
’Whatdoesallthisnonsensemean？’Isaid，inavoicewhichfrightenedthem，asIcouldseebythelightofourownmuttoncandles：’JohnFry，youbeofftoyourwifeatonce，oryoushallhavewhatIoweyounow，insteadofto-morrowmorning。’
Johnmadenoanswer，butscratchedhishead，andlookedatthemaidenstotakehispart。
’Itisyouthatmustbeoff，Ithink，’saidLizzie，lookingstraightatmewithalltheimpudenceintheworld；’whatrighthaveyoutocomeinheretotheyoungladies’room，withoutaninvitationeven？’
’Verywell，MissLizzie，Isupposemotherhassomerighthere。’Andwiththat，Iwasgoingawaytofetchher，knowingthatshealwaystookmyside，andneverwouldallowthehousetobeturnedupsidedowninthatmanner。ButAnniecaughtholdofmebythearm，andlittleRuthstoodinthedoorway；andLizziesaid，’Don’tbeafool，John。Weknowthingsofyou，youknow；agreatdealmorethanyoudreamof。’
UponthisIglancedatAnnie，tolearnwhethershehadbeentelling，butherpuretruefacereassuredmeatonce，andthenshesaidverygently，——
’Lizzie，youtalktoofast，mychild。NooneknowsanythingofourJohnwhichheneedbeashamedof；andworkingashedoesfromlighttodusk，andearningthelivingofallofus，heisentitledtochoosehisowngoodtimeforgoingoutandforcomingin，withoutconsultingalittlegirlfiveyearsyoungerthanhimself。Now，John，sitdown，andyoushallknowallthatwehavedone，thoughIdoubtwhetheryouwillapproveofit。’
UponthisIkissedAnnie，andsodidRuth；andJohnFrylookedadealmorecomfortable，butLizzieonlymadeafaceatus。ThenAnniebeganasfollows：——
’Youmustknow，dearJohn，thatwehavebeenextremelycurious，eversinceUncleReubencame，toknowwhathewascomefor，especiallyatthistimeofyear，whenheisathisbusiest。Henevervouchsafedanyexplanation，neithergaveanyreason，trueorfalse，whichshowshisentireignoranceofallfemininenature。IfRuthhadknown，andrefusedtotellus，weshouldhavebeenmucheasier，becausewemusthavegotitoutofRuthbeforetwoorthreedayswereover。ButdarlingRuthknewnomorethanwedid，andindeedI
mustdoherthejusticetosaythatshehasbeenquiteasinquisitive。Well，wemighthaveputupwithit，ifithadnotbeenforhistakingDolly，myownpetDolly，awayeverymorning，quiteasifshebelongedtohim，andkeepingheroutuntilcloseupondark，andthenbringingherhomeinafrightfulcondition。Andheevenhadtheimpudence，whenItoldhimthatDollywasmypony，tosaythatweowedhimapony，eversinceyoutookfromhimthatlittlehorseuponwhichyoufoundhimstrappedsosnugly；andhemeanstotakeDollytoDulvertonwithhim，toruninhislittlecart。Ifthereislawinthelandheshallnot。Surely，John，youwillnotlethim？’
’ThatIwon’t，’saidI，’exceptupontheconditionswhichIofferedhimoncebefore。Ifweowehimthepony，weowehimthestraps。’
SweetAnnielaughed，likeabell，atthis，andthenshewentonwithherstory。
’Well，John，wewereperfectlymiserable。Youcannotunderstandit，ofcourse；butIusedtogoeveryevening，andhugpoorDolly，andkissher，andbeghertotellmewhereshehadbeen，andwhatshehadseen，thatday。ButneverhavingbelongedtoBalaam，darlingDollywasquiteunsuccessful，thoughoftenshestrovetotellme，withherearsdown，andbotheyesrolling。
ThenImadeJohnFrytiehertailinaknot，withapieceofwhiteribbon，asifforadornment，thatI
mighttraceheramongthehills，atanyrateforamileortwo。ButUncleBenwastoodeepforthat；hecutofftheribbonbeforehestarted，sayinghewouldhavenoDoonesafterhim。Andthen，indespair，Iappliedtoyou，knowinghowquickoffootyouare，andIgotRuthandLizzietohelpme，butyouansweredusveryshortly；andaverypoorsupperyouhadthatnight，accordingtoyourdeserts。
’Butthoughweweredashedtothegroundforatime，wewerenotwhollydiscomfited。Ourdeterminationtoknowallaboutitseemedtoincreasewiththedifficulty。
AndUncleBen’smannerlastnightwassodry，whenwetriedtorompandtoleadhimout，thatitwasmuchworsethanJamaicagingergratedintoapoorsprayedfinger。Sowesenthimtobedattheearliestmoment，andheldasmallcounciluponhim。Ifyourememberyou，John，havingnowtakentosmokewhichisahatefulpractice，hadgoneforthgrumblingaboutyourbadsupperandnottakingitasagoodlesson。’
’Why，Annie，’Icried，inamazementatthis，’Iwillnevertrustyouagainforasupper。Ithoughtyouweresosorry。’
’AndsoIwas，dear；verysorry。Butstillwemustdoourduty。Andwhenwecametoconsiderit，Ruthwasthecleverestofusall；forshesaidthatsurelywemusthavesomemanwecouldtrustaboutthefarmtogoonalittleerrand；andthenIrememberedthatoldJohnFrywoulddoanythingformoney。’
’Notformoney，plaize，miss，’saidJohnFry，takingapullatthebeer；’butfortheloveofyourswateface。’
’Tobesure，John；withtheKing’sbehindit。AndsoLizzieranforJohnFryatonce，andwegavehimfulldirections，howhewastoslipoutofthebarleyintheconfusionofthebreakfast，sothatnonemightmisshim；andtorunbacktotheblackcombebottom，andtherehewouldfindtheverysameponywhichUncleBenhadbeentiedupon，andthereisnofasteruponthefarm。Andthen，withoutwaitingforanybreakfastunlesshecouldeatiteitherrunningortrotting，hewastotravelalluptheblackcombe，bythetrackUncleReubenhadtaken，andupatthetoptolookforwardcarefully，andsototracehimwithoutbeingseen。’
’Ay；andraightwulladoo’dun，’Johncried，withhismouthinthebullock’shorn。
’Well，andwhatdidyousee，John？’Iasked，withgreatanxiety；thoughImeanttohaveshownnointerest。
’Johnwasjustattheverypointofit，’Lizzieansweredmesharply，’whenyouchosetocomeinandstophim。’
’Thenlethimbeginagain，’saidI；’thingsbeinggonesofar，itisnowmydutytoknoweverything，forthesakeofyougirlsandmother。’
’Hem!’criedLizzie，inanastyway；butItooknonoticeofher，forshewasalwaysbadtodealwith。
ThereforeJohnFrybeganagain，beingheartilygladtodoso，thathisstorymightgetoutofthetumblewhichallourtalkhadmadeinit。ButashecouldnottellataleinthemannerofmyLornaalthoughhetolditverywellforthosewhounderstoodhimIwilltakeitfromhismouthaltogether，andstateinbriefwhathappened。
WhenJohn，uponhisforestpony，whichhehadmuchadotoholditsmouthbeinglikeabucket，wascometothetopofthelongblackcombe，twomilesormorefromPlover’sBarrows，andwindingtothesouthward，hestoppedhislittlenagshortofthecrest，andgotoffandlookedaheadofhim，frombehindatumpofwhortles。Itwasalongflatsweepofmoorlandoverwhichhewasgazing，withafewbogshereandthere，andbrushyplacesroundthem。Ofcourse，JohnFry，fromhisshepherdlifeandreclaimingofstrayedcattle，knewaswellasneedbewherehewas，andthespreadofthehillsbeforehim，althoughitwasbeyondourbeat，or，rather，Ishouldsay，besideit。Notbutwhatwemighthave