JohnFryhadnowsixshillingsaweekofregularandpermanentwage，besidesallharvestandshearingmoney，aswellasacottagerent-free，andenoughofgarden-groundtorearpot-herbsforhiswifeandallhisfamily。Nowthewagesappointedbyourjustices，atthetimeofsessions，werefour-and-sixpenceaweekforsummer，andashillinglessforthewinter-time；
andwecouldbefined，andperhapsimprisoned，forgivingmorethanthesumssofixed。ThereforeJohnFrywaslookeduponastherichestmanuponExmoor，I
meanofcourseamonglabourers，andthereweremanyjokesaboutrobbinghim，asifhewerethemintoftheKing；andTomFagguspromisedtotryhishand，ifhecameacrossJohnonthehighway，althoughhehadceasedfrombusiness，andwasseekingaRoyalpardon。
Nowisitaccordingtohumannature，orisitathingcontradictoryasIwouldfainbelieve？Butanyhow，therewas，uponExmoor，nomorediscontentedman，nomanmoresurethathehadnothisworth，neitherhalfsosoreaboutit，than，oras，JohnFrywas。AndonethinghedidwhichIcouldnotwhollyorindeedImaysay，inanymeasurereconcilewithmysenseofright，muchasIlabouredtodoJohnjustice，especiallybecauseofhisroguery；andthiswas，thatifwesaidtoomuch，oraccusedhimatalloflazinesswhichhemusthaveknowntobeinhim，heregularlyturnedrounduponus，andquitecompelledustoholdourtongues，bythreateningtolayinformationagainstusforpayinghimtoomuchwages!
NowIhavenotmentionedallthisofJohnFry，fromanydisrespectforhismemorywhichisgreenandhonestamongstus，farlessfromanydesiretohurtthefeelingsofhisgrandchildren；andIwilldothemthejustice，onceforall，toavow，thuspublicly，thatI
haveknownagreatmanybiggerrogues，andmostofthemselvesinthenumber。ButIhavereferred，withmoderation，tothislittleflawinaworthycharacterorfoible，aswecallit，whenamanisdeadforthisreasononly——thatwithoutittherewasnoexplainingJohn’sdealingswithJeremyStickles。
MasterJeremy，beingfullofLondonandNorwichexperience，fellintotheerrorofsupposingthatweclodsandyokelswerethesimplestofthesimple，andcouldbecheatedathisgoodpleasure。Nowthisisnotso：whenoncewesuspectthatpeoplehavethatideaofus，weindulgetheminittothetopoftheirbent，andgrievethattheyshouldcomeoutofit，astheydoatlastinamazement，withlessmoneythanbefore，andthelaughnowsetagainstthem。
EversinceIhadoffendedJeremy，bythreateninghimasbeforerelatedincaseofhismeddlingwithmyaffairs，hehadmoreandmorealliedhimselfwithsimple-mindedJohn，ashewaspleasedtocallhim。
JohnFrywaseverything：itwas’runandfetchmyhorse，John’——’John，aremypistolsprimedwell？’——’I
wantyouinthestable，John，aboutsomethingveryparticular’，untilexceptfortherudenessofit，IwaslongingtotellMasterSticklesthatheoughttopayJohn’swages。Johnforhispartwasnotbackward，butgavehimselfthemostwonderfulairsofsecrecyandimportance，tillhalftheparishbegantothinkthattheaffairsofthenationwereinhishand，andhescornedthesightofadungfork。
Itwasnotlikelythatthisshouldlast；andbeingtheonlymanintheparishwithanyknowledgeofpolitics，IgaveJohnFrytounderstandthathemustnotpresumetotalksofreely，asifhewereatleastaconstable，abouttheconstitution；whichcouldbenoaffairofhis，andmightbringusallintotrouble。Atthisheonlytossedhisnose，asifhehadbeeninLondonatleastthreetimesformyone；whichvexedmesothatI
promisedhimthethickendoftheplough-whipifeventhenameofaknightoftheshireshouldpasshislipsforafortnight。
NowIdidnotsuspectinmystupidnoddlethatJohnFrywouldevertellJeremySticklesaboutthesightattheWizard’sSloughandthemaninthewhitenightcap；
becauseJohnhadswornonthebladeofhisknifenottobreatheawordtoanysoul，withoutmyfullpermission。
However，itappearsthatJohnrelated，foracertainconsideration，allthathehadseen，anddoubtlessmorewhichhadaccruedtoit。UponthisMasterStickleswasmuchastonishedatUncleReuben’sproceedings，havingalwaysaccountedhimamostloyal，keen，andwarysubject。
AllthisIlearneduponrecoveringJeremy’sgoodgraces，whichcametopassinnootherwaythanbythesavingofhislife。Beingboundtokeepthestrictestwatchuponthesevenrooks’nests，andyetnotbearingtobeidleandtowastemymother’sstores，Icontrivedtokeepmyworkentirelyatthewesterncornerofourfarm，whichwasnearesttoGlenDoone，andwhenceI
couldeasilyruntoaheightcommandingtheviewI
coveted。
OnedaySquireFaggushaddroppedinuponus，justintimefordinner；andverysoonheandKing’smessengerwereasthickasneedbe。TomhadbroughthisbelovedmaretoshowherofftoAnnie，andhemountedhisprettysweetheartuponher，aftergivingWinnienoticetobeonherverybestbehaviour。Thesquirewasingreatspirits，havingjustaccomplishedapurchaseoflandwhichwasworthtentimeswhathegaveforit；andthishedidbyamerrytrickuponoldSirRogerBassett，whoneversupposedhimtobeinearnest，asnotpossessingthemoney。Thewholethingwasdoneonabumperofclaretinatavernwheretheymet；andtheoldknighthavingoncepledgedhisword，nolawyerscouldholdhimbackfromit。TheycouldonlysaythatMasterFaggus，beingattaintedoffelony，wasnotacapablegrantee。’Iwillsooncurethat，’quothTom，’mypardonhasbeenreadyformonthsandmonths，sosoonasIcaretosueit。’
AndnowhewastellingourAnnie，wholistenedveryrosily，andbelievedeverywordhesaid，that，havingbeenruinedinearlyinnocencebythemeansoflawyers，itwasonlyjust，andfairturnforturn，thathavingbecomeamatchforthembylongpracticeuponthehighway，heshouldreinstatehimself，attheirexpense，insociety。AndnowhewouldgotoLondonatonce，andsueouthispardon，andthenwouldhislovelydarlingAnnie，etc。，etc——thingswhichIhadnorighttohear，andinwhichIwasnotwanted。
ThereforeIstrodeawayupthelanetomyafternoon’semployment，sadlycomparingmylovewiththeirswhichnowappearedsoprosperous，yetheartilygladforAnnie’ssake；onlyrememberingnowandthentheoldproverb’Wrongnevercomesright。’
Iworkedveryhardinthecopseofyoungash，withmybillhookandashearing-knife；cuttingoutthesaplingswheretheystooledtooclosetogether，makingsparstokeepforthatching，wall-crookstodriveintothecob，stilesforclosesheephurdles，andhandlesforrakes，andhoes，andtwo-bills，ofthelargerandstraighterstuff。AndallthelesserIboundinfaggots，tocomehomeonthesleddtothewoodrick。ItisnottobesupposedthatIdidallthiswork，withoutmanypeepsatthesevenrooks’nests，whichprovedmyLorna’ssafety。Indeed，wheneverIwantedachange，eitherfromcleaving，orhewingtoohard，orstoopingtoomuchatbinding，Iwasupandawaytotheridgeofthehill，insteadofstandinganddoingnothing。
SoonIforgotaboutTomandAnnie；andfelltothinkingofLornaonly；andhowmuchIwouldmakeofher；andwhatIshouldcallourchildren；andhowIwouldeducatethem，todohonourtoherrank；yetallthetimeIworkednonetheworse，byreasonofmeditation。
Fresh-cutsparsarenotsogoodasthoseofalittleseasoning；especiallyifthesapwasnotgonedownatthetimeofcutting。Thereforewealwaysfinditneedfultohaveplentystillinstock。
Itwasverypleasantthereinthecopse，slopingtothewestasitwas，andthesundescendingbrightly，withrocksandbankstodwellupon。Thestemsofmottledanddimpledwood，withtwigscomingoutlikeelbows，hungandclungtogetherclosely，withamodeofbendingin，aschildrendoatsomedanger；overheadtheshrunkenleavesquiveredandrustledripely，havingmanypointslikestars，andrisingandfallingdelicately，asfingersplaysadmusic。Alongthebedoftheslantingground，allbetweenthestoolsofwood，therewereheapsofdeadbrownleaves，andshelteredmatsoflichen，anddriftsofspottedstickgonerotten，andtuftsofrusheshereandthere，fulloffrayandfeathering。
Allbythehedgeranalittlestream，athingthatcouldbarelynameitself，flowingscarcemorethanapintinaminute，becauseofthesunnyweather。Yethadthisrilllittlecrooksandcranniesdarkandbravelybearded，andagallantrushthroughareedenpipe——thestemofaflagthatwasgrounded；andhereandtheredividedthreads，fromthepointsofabranchingstick，intomightypoolsofrockaslargeasagrownman’shatalmostnappedwithmossallaroundthesidesandhungwithcordedgrasses。Alonganddownthetinybanks，andnoddingintooneanother，evenacrossmainchannel，hungthebrownarcadeofferns；
somewithgoldtongueslanguishing；somewithcountlessear-dropsjerking，somewithgreatquilledribsuprisingandlongsawsaflapping；otherscupped，andfanningoverwiththegraceofyielding，evenasahollowfountainspreadbywindsthathavelosttheirway。
Deeplyeachbeyondother，pluming，stooping，glancing，glistening，weavingsoftestpillowlace，coyingtothewindandwater，whentheirfleetingimagedanced，orbywhichtheirbeautymoved，——Godhasmadenolovelierthing；andonlyHetakesheedofthem。
Itwastimetogohometosuppernow，andIfeltveryfriendlytowardsit，havingbeenhardatworkforsomehours，withonlythevoiceofthelittlerill，andsomeharesandapheasantforcompany。ThesunwasgonedownbehindtheblackwoodonthefarthercliffsofBagworthy，andtherussetofthetuftsandspear-bedswasbecominggray，whilethegreynessofthesaplingashgrewbrownagainstthesky；thehollowcurvesofthelittlestreambecameblackbeneaththegrassesandthefairyfansinnumerable，whileoutsidethehedgeourcloverwascrimpingitsleavesinthedewfall，likethecockedhatsofwood-sorrel，——when，thankingGodforallthisscene，becausemylovehadgiftedmewiththekeytoallthingslovely，Ipreparedtofollowtheirexample，andtorestfromlabour。
ThereforeIwipedmybill-hookandshearing-knifeverycarefully，forIhatetoleavetoolsdirty；andwasdoubtingwhetherIshouldtryforanotherglanceatthesevenrooks’nests，orwhetheritwouldbetoodarkforit。Itwasnowaquarterofanhourmayhap，sinceI
hadmadeanychoppingnoise，becauseIhadbeenassortingmyspars，andtyingtheminbundles，insteadofplyingthebill-hook；andthegentletinkleofthestreamwaslouderthanmydoings。Tothis，nodoubt，I
owemylife，whichthenwithoutmydreamingitwasinnolittlejeopardy。
For，justasIwastwistingthebineofmyverylastfaggot，beforetuckingtheclefttongueunder，therecamethreemenoutsidethehedge，wherethewesternlightwasyellow；andbyitIcouldseethatallthreeofthemcarriedfirearms。Thesemenwerenotwalkingcarelessly，butfollowingdownthehedge-trough，asiftostalksomeenemy：andforamomentitstruckmecoldtothinkitwasItheywerelookingfor。WiththeswiftnessofterrorIconcludedthatmyvisitstoGlenDoonewereknown，andnowmylifewastheforfeit。
Itwasamostluckythingforme，thatIheardtheirclothescatchinthebrambles，andsawtheirhatsundertherampartofash，whichismadebywhatwecall’splashing，’andlucky，formethatIstoodinagoyal，andhadthedarkcoppicebehindme。TothisIhadnotimetofly，butwithasortofinstinct，threwmyselfflatinamongthethickfern，andheldmybreath，andlaystillasalog。ForIhadseenthelightgleamontheirgun-barrels，andknowingthefaultsoftheneighbourhood，wouldfainavoidswellingtheirnumber。
Thenthethreemencametothegapinthehedge，whereIhadbeeninandoutsooften；andstoodup，andlookedinover。
Itisallverywellforamantoboastthat，inallhislife，hehasneverbeenfrightened，andbelievesthathenevercouldbeso。Theremaybemenofthatnature——Iwillnotdaretodenyit；onlyIhaveneverknownthem。ThefrightIwasnowinwashorrible，andallmybonesseemedtocreepinsideme；whenlyingtherehelpless，withonlyabilletandthecombofferntohideme，intheduskofearlyevening，Isawthreefacesinthegap；andwhatwasworse，threegun-muzzles。
’Somebodybeenatworkhere——’itwasthedeepvoiceofCarverDoone；’jumpup，Charlie，andlookabout；wemusthavenowitnesses。’
’Givemeahandbehind，’saidCharlie，thesamehandsomeyoungDooneIhadseenthatnight；’thisbankistoodevilishsteepforme。’
’Nonsense，man!’criedMarwooddeWhichehalse，whotomyamazementwasthethirdofthenumber；’onlyahindcuttingfaggots；andofcoursehehathgonehomelongago。Blindman’sholiday，aswecallit。Icanseeallovertheplace；andthereisnotevenarabbitthere。’
AtthatIdrewmybreathagain，andthankedGodIhadgottenmycoaton。
’Squireisright，’saidCharlie，whowasstandinguphighonarootperhaps，’thereisnobodytherenow，captain；andluckyforthepoordevilthathekeepethworkman’shours。Evenhischopperisgone，Isee。’
’Nodog，noman，istheruleabouthere，whenitcomestocoppicework，’continuedyoungdeWhichehalse；thereisnotamanwoulddareworkthere，withoutadogtoscarethepixies。’