Just then they were passing the ruins of Titheburgh Abbey. It was almost dark, for the winter’s evening was closing in rapidly, when suddenly Dorothy gave a little shriek, for from behind a ruined wall there rose up an armed mysterious figure with something white behind it. Next second she saw that it was Jeremy, who had returned from shooting, and was apparently waiting for them. “O Jeremy, how you frightened me! What is it?” “I want to speak to _him,_” was the laconic reply. Ernest stood still, wondering what was coming. “Look here! You told a lie to try to save me from catching it this morning. You said that you began it. You didn’t. I began it. I’d have told him too,” and he jerked his thumb in the direction of Dum’s Ness, “only my mouth was so full of words I could not get it out. But I want to say I thank you, and here, take the dog. He’s a nasty tempered devil, but he’ll grow very fond of you if you are kind to him;” and seizing the astonished Nails by the collar, he thrust him towards Ernest. For a moment there was a struggle in Ernest’s mind, for he greatly longed to possess a bull-terrier dog; but his gentleman-like feeling prevailed. “I don’t want the dog, and I didn’t do anything in particular.” “Yes, you did, though,” replied Jeremy, greatly relieved that Ernest did not accept his dog, which he loved, “or at least you did more than anybody ever did before; but I tell you what, I’ll do as much for you one day. I’ll do anything you like.” “Will you, though?” answered Ernest, who was a sharp youth, and opportunely remembered Dorothy’s request. “Yes, I will.” “Well, then, come to this fellow Halford with me; I don’t want to go alone.” Jeremy slowly rubbed his face with the back of an exceedingly dirty hand. This was more than he had bargained for, but his word was his word. “All right,” he answered, “I’ll come.” And then whistling to his dog, he vanished into the shadows. And thus began a friendship between these two that endured all their lives. CHAPTER IV. BOYS TOGETHER Jeremy kept his word. On the appointed day he appeared ready, as he expressed it, to “tackle that bloke Halford.” What is more, he appeared with his hair cut, a decent suit of clothes on, and, wonder of wonders, his hands properly washed, for all of which he was rewarded by finding that the “tackling” was not such a fearful business as he had anticipated. It was, moreover, of an intermittent nature, for the lads found plenty of time to indulge in every sort of manly exercise together. In winter they would roam all over the wide marsh-lands in search of snipe and wild ducks, which Ernest missed and Jeremy brought down with unerring aim, and in summer they would swim, or fish, and bird-nest to their hearts’ content. In this way they contrived to combine the absorption of a little learning with that of a really extended knowledge of animal life and a large quantity of health and spirits.