Those boys are the plague of the place; I wish it had
been one of them as I'd caught, I'd have had some satisfaction out of
them!"
Henry entreated again for the gun, explaining that they had not leave
to take it; but the farmer was unrelenting. He might go to them, he
said, to make up the price of the poor turkey-cock; how they could
have got the gun was no affair of his; have it they should not, till
the money was brought to him; and if it did not come before night, he
should carry the gun up to the Park, and complain to Mr. Greville.
With this answer the unhappy Hal was released, and ran after his
friends to tell them of the terms. He found them sitting on a low
wall, just within their own grounds, waiting to hear what had become
of him. When he had told his story, they both set upon him for
betraying them, and declared that they should send him to Coventry
ever after, and never do anything with him again; but as it was plain
that the gun must be redeemed, if they wished to avoid severe
punishment, there was a consultation. Nobody had much money; but
Osmond consolingly suspected that the farmer would take less; five-
and-twenty shillings was an exorbitant price to set on a turkey-
cock's head, and perhaps half would content him.
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