"Have you any reason for being sure of the spot?" "Yes, it were within a yard or two o' wheer Mr. Horsfall were shot by th' Luddites i' th' Lud time. There's th' bullet marks on th' wall, plain to be seen i' dayleet." "I believe that's so, your Worships," said Mr. Alison, and the Chairman nodded assent. "Well, we cowered down among th' bracken, and after a bit Ephraim there loped ovver th' wall. A couple o' hares started up fro' th' cover an' he downed 'em wi' his stick, an' sammed 'em up an' knocked their yeads agen his booit toes, an' nipped 'em into his pocket. He weren't three yards fro' wheer we legged, an' his back were to us. So we upped an' on to him, an' downed him." "Did he struggle much? Did he resist you?" "He nearly bote mi thumb off, an' it took both me and mi feyther--he's an owd man, but varry peert--all us time to howd him till aw slipped the derbies on to him. Then we searched him an' fun' these beauties on him. Stock does, they be, an' a shame for annybody to ha' killed 'em." "Well, I think that's all I need ask you," said Mr. Alison, and sat down. Then Mr. Blackburn rose ponderously, puffing out his tremulous cheeks, and breathing heavily as though he had just come to the surface after a long swim under water. And he wagged a big fat forefinger at Tom o' Jack's, and he certainly didn't look asleep now. "And all this mighty struggle took place in Mr. Radcliffe's Plantation?" he asked. "Yes, sir." "Well within it?" "Yes, sir; a hundred yards or more." "Not on the highroad?" "Oh, no, sir, else he wouldn't have been trespassing." "Quite so, quite so, a very shrewd and proper remark. All among the bracken, I suppose?" "Yes, sir." "How was the prisoner dressed?" "Same as he is now, sir." "Of course, how stupid of me. He has been in custody ever since, and won't have concerned himself much about his toilet. You saw him, I think you said, on the Fair during the day." "Yes, sir." "Several times?" "Aye, off an' on, right up to mi feyther an' me starting for whom. We wanted to be ahead of him so's to hide ussen afore he reached th' Plantation." Quite so, quite so, a very proper proceeding"--I did wish Mr. Blackburn wouldn't butter the man up so, but I'd yet to learn that victims are sometimes well greased before being bolted. "When you saw the prisoner in the Fair did you notice anything peculiar about his appearance?" "No, nowt out o' th' common." "Quite spick and span, eh?" "Aye, he were reet enough." "Now look at his clothes. What do you say to them now? Get close to him and examine him from head to foot. Oh, don't be frightened; the constable will see he doesn't hurt you." Tom did as he was bid, but with manifest reluctance. "Well, what do you say to his clothes now? Spick and span, eh?" "Nay, they're mucky enough." "Mud-stained from top to toe, aren't they?" "Yo' can see for yersen, can't yo'," answered Tom surlily.