He dropped down again with a look of relief, and said, ''Tis but a lad scaring rooks with a blunderbuss; we will not stir unless he makes this way.' A minute later he said: 'The boy is coming straight for the wall; we shall have to show ourselves'; and while he spoke there was a rattle of falling stones, where the boy was partly climbing and partly pulling down the dry wall, and so Elzevir stood up.

The boy looked frightened, and made as if he would run off, but Elzevir passed him the time of day in a civil voice, and he stopped and gave it back.
'What are you doing here, son ?' Block asked.
'Scaring rooks for Farmer Topp,' was the answer.
'Have you got a charge of powder to spare ?' said Elzevir, showing his pistol.

'I want to get a rabbit in the gorse for supper, and have dropped my flask.

Maybe you've seen a flask in walking through the furrows ?' He whispered to me to lie still, so that it might not be perceived my leg was broken; and the boy replied: 'No, I have seen no flask; but very like have not come the same way as you, being sent out here from Lowermoigne; and as for powder, I have little left, and must save that for the rooks, or shall get a beating for my pains.' 'Come,' said Elzevir, 'give me a charge or two, and there is half a crown for thee.' And he took the coin out of his pocket and showed it.
The boy's eyes twinkled, and so would mine at so valuable a piece, and he took out from his pocket a battered cowskin flask.

'Give flask and all,' said Elzevir, 'and thou shalt have a crown,' and he showed him the larger coin.
No time was wasted in words; Elzevir had the flask in his pocket, and the boy was biting the crown.
'What shot have you ?' said Elzevir.
'What! have you dropped your shot-flask too ?' asked the boy.