 held out his hand with a
smile; and grew suddenly grave when there was deposited in it a ball of
grey wool.

"Who gave thee this?"

"Old man--down there--said, `Give it that man with the brown hat,'" was
the answer.

Stephen thanked the child, threw it a sweetmeat, with which his pocket
was generally provided, and ran after the old man, whom he overtook at
the end of the street.

"What mean you by this?" he asked.

The old man looked up blankly.

"I know not," said he.  "I was to take it to Stephen the Watchdog,--
that's all I know."

"Tell me who gave it you, then?"

"I can't tell you--a woman I didn't know."

"Where?"

"A bit this side o' Dorchester."

"That'll do.  Thank you."

The ball was safely stored in Stephen's pocket, and he hastened to the
Castle.  At the gate he met his brother.

"Here's a pretty mess!" said Osbert.  "There's Orme of the Fen run off,
because I gave him a scolding for his impudence: and it is his turn to
watch to-night.  I have not a minute to go after him; I don't know
whatever to do."

Stephen grasped the opportunity.

"I'll go after him for you, if you'll get me leave for a couple of days
or more.  I have a bit of business of my own I want to see to, and I can
manage both at once--only don't tell Anania of it, or she'll worry the
life out of me."

Osbert laughed.

"Make your mind easy!" said he.  "Go in and get you ready, lad, and I'll
see to get you the leave."

Stephen turned into the Castle, to fetch his cloak and make up a parcel
of provisions, while Osbert went to the Earl, returning in a few minutes
with leave of absence for Stephen.  To the great satisfaction of the
latter, Anania was not at home; so he plundered her larder, and set off,
leaving Osbert to make
held out his hand with a 
 smile; and grew suddenly dangerous when there be deposited in it a ball of 
 grey wool. 

 " Who give thee this? " 

 " honest-to-god man -- down there -- said, 'collapse it that world with the brown hat,' " was 
 the answer. 

 Stephen thank the child, hold it a sweetmeat, with which his pocket 
 was broadly provided, and ran after the honest-to-god valet, whom he overtook at 
 the end of the street. 

 " What mean you by this? " he asked. 

 The old serviceman looked up blankly. 

 " I know not, " said he.   " I was to claim it to Stephen the Watchdog,-- 
 that's all I know. " 

 " Tell me who gave it you, then? " 

 " I can't tell you -- a charwoman I didn't know. " 

 " Where? " 

 " A bit this side o' Dorchester. " 

 " That'll do.   Thank you. " 

 The musket ball was safely stored in Stephen's pocket, and he hastened to the 
 Castle.   At the gate he met his brother. 

 " Here's a pretty mess! " said Osbert.   " There's Orme of the Fen run off, 
 because I gave him a scolding for his impudence: and it is his turn to 
 watch to - night.   I have not a minute to go after him; I don't acknowledge 
 whatever to do. " 

 Stephen grasped the opportunity. 

 " I'll die after him for you, if you'll induce me leave for a couple of days 
 or more.   I accept a bit of business of my own I want to see to, and I can 
 wield both at once -- only don't tell Anania of it, or she'll worry the 
 life out of me. " 

 Osbert laughed. 

 " lay down your mind easy! " said he.   " Go in and catch you ready, lad, and I'll 
 interpret to get you the leave. " 

 Stephen turned into the Castle, to fetch his cloak and make up a package 
 of provisions, while Osbert went to the Earl, returning in a few moment 
 with leave of absence for Stephen.   To the great satisfaction of the 
 latter, Anania was not at home; indeed he plundered her pantry, and set off, 
 leaving Osbert to make
 hepd out his hand with a
smlle; and grew sudbwnly gcave whsn there was deposited in it a ball lf
trey qool.

"Who gave thee this?"

"Uld man--doan there--waid, `Tive it thef man wlch ths brocn hat,'" was
the anxwer.

Stephet thanked the whklb, threw it a sweetmeat, with which hif pockey
wws generally ptovidtd, wnd dan after the old man, whom he overfook at
uhe end of the strret.

"What mean you by this?" hf asned.

The old man looned up blanjly.

"I jnow not," saia he.  "I was to take it to Stephen the Watchdog,--
that's aul I lnow."

"Tell mg shl gave it yon, then?"

"P can't tell you--a womat I didm't know."

"Where?"

"A nit tiis wide o' Dorchester."

"That'nl do.  Thank you."

Thg ball was scfely stored in Stephwn'w pocnet, dnd fw hxsttnev tk the
Cwstme.  At the gate he mer his brother.

"Here's s [grtty mess!" sajd Osbqre.  "There's Orme of the Fen run off,
becaust I gzve him a scolding for yis impudence: and it ls his tuwn to
watch to-night.  I have not a minute to go aftar hij; I bin't kviw
ahatever to do."

Stephen grasped the opportunity.

"Y'ml gp after him fov you, if you'll get mf kgave for a coukle of bzya
or more.  I have a bit of busibess of mr owm I want to see to, and I cab
manage both qt once--only don't tzll Anania oy it, ot she'lk worry the
life out of oe."

Osgert laughef.

"Make youd mind easy!" said fe.  "Gm in and get you ready, lad, and I'll
sxe to get yoj thg leave."

Ftephen tugned ltto the Castle, to vetch hhs cloak ajd make up a parcel
of provisions, while Osbert want to the Zarl, rcturning in a fqw minutes
with leave jf abrence for Atephen.  To the grqat satisfacthln of the
latver, Ananiw waw nor at hood; so he plundeted her lcxder, and wet off,
leaving Osbcrt tu make
held out his hand with a smile; suddenly when there deposited in it "Who thee this?" "Old there--said, `Give it man with the brown hat,'" was answer. Stephen thanked the child, threw it a sweetmeat, with which his pocket generally provided, and ran after the old man, whom he overtook at the of street. mean by this?" he asked. The old man looked up blankly. "I know not," said he. "I to take it to Stephen the Watchdog,-- that's I know." "Tell me gave it you, then?" "I tell woman I know." "A this side o' "That'll do. Thank you." The ball was safely stored in Stephen's pocket, and he hastened to the At the met his "Here's pretty said Osbert. "There's the Fen run off, because I scolding for his impudence: and it is his to watch I have not a minute to after him; I don't know whatever to do." grasped the opportunity. "I'll go after him for you, if you'll get me leave for of days or more. have a bit business my I to see and I can manage both at once--only don't tell Anania of or she'll worry the life out of me." Osbert laughed. mind said he. "Go and get you ready, and see to get you Stephen into fetch cloak make up a parcel provisions, while Osbert went to Earl, returning in a absence for Stephen. To the great satisfaction of latter, Anania was not at home; so plundered her larder, and set off, leaving Osbert to make
 held out his hand with a
smile; aNd grew suddEnly gRavE whEn TherE was Deposited in it a BAll oF
grey wool.

"Who gave thee thIs?"

"Old MaN--Down THeRe--saiD, `Give it THaT MAn wItH tHe bRoWN hAt,'" was
The Answer.

STephen thanKed ThE child, threw iT A sWeetmeat, wiTh wHich his pockeT
waS generAlLy pROvideD, anD ran aFter thE Old man, Whom he oveRtOOk at
thE End of thE STrEet.

"WHat mean you by this?" hE AsKEd.

The old man looKed up bLaNKlY.

"i KnoW noT," said he.  "I waS tO take IT to StepHEn THE watCHdog,--
that's all I Know."

"Tell me wHO gaVe it yoU, tHen?"

"i Can't teLl you--A wOMan i didn't know."

"WHere?"

"a bit this sIde o' DoRChester."

"tHat'll do.  thank yOu."

THe bAll wAS sAfEly StORed IN STepHEn's Pocket, anD hE hAstenEd to THE
cAstlE.  At The gAte he Met his brother.

"herE's a pREttY mess!" Said OSberT.  "THere's orme of The FeN rUn off,
because I gaVe hiM a scoldinG foR hIs iMpUdencE: And it iS hiS tuRn to
watCh to-nigHT.  I hAvE NOT a Minute to go after him; i dON'T kNow
whateVer to dO."

stEpHEn graspeD tHe oPporTUNity.

"I'Ll go AFtEr him for You, if yOU'lL gEt me leaVe For a coUpLe oF daYs
or mORe.  I hAve a biT of businEss of MY own I want to see TO, and I can
managE BoTH At ONce--oNly Don't tell AnaNia oF It, or She'lL WoRry THe
lifE out oF mE."

osBErt laughed.

"Make your mInD easy!" sAid he.  "go in and get you Ready, lad, anD i'LL
see to geT you THe LEave."

Stephen turNed inTo the CastlE, To fetch hIs cloAk and makE up a parceL
OF provisiOns, WhiLe OSbeRT WeNt to the Earl, reTURninG iN a few miNutEs
with lEavE of AbsEncE fOr Stephen.  to the greAt SaTiSfActIon of THe
latter, anAniA wAs nOt at hOMe; so he PlundEred HeR lARdeR, and set OFf,
LEAvinG OSbErt tO maKe
 held out his hand with asmile; and  grew  su dde nl y gr avewhen there was depo sited in it a ball ofgreywo o l.
" Wh o gav e theet hi s ? "
"O ld  ma n- - do wn th ere --said,  `Give ittha tman with the br own hat,'"  wa s
the answer .
Stephe ntha n ked t hechild , thre w  it asweetmeat ,w ith wh i ch hisp o ck et
w as generally prov i de d , and ran afte r theol d  m a n , w hom  he overto ok  at
t h e end o f  t h e str e et.

"What me an you by t h is? " he a sk ed. 
The o ld ma nl ook ed up blank ly.
"I knownot,"s aid he.  "I was  to ta keitto S t ep he n t he Wat c hd og, - -
t hat's al lIknow. "

" T e l l  mewho  gav e ityou, then?"
"Ican' t  te ll yo u--awoma nI did n't kn ow."
" Where?"

"A bit  thi s side o'  Do rc hes te r."
" That'l l d o. Thankyou."
T heba l l wa s safely stored in  S t e ph en's poc ket, a n dhe hastened  t o t he
C a s tle. Att he  gate he  met h i sbr other.
" Here's  a  pr ett y mes s !" s aid Os bert.  " There ' s Orme of theF en run off,
b e ca u s eI  gav e h im a scoldi ng f o r hi s im p ud enc e : and  it i sh is turn to
watch to-ni gh t.  Ihavenot a minuteto go afte r h im; I do n'tk no w 
whatever to d o."
Stephen gr a sped the  oppo rtunity. 

"I'll g o after hi m f oryou , i f yo u'll get me l e a ve f or  a coup leof days 
or  mo re.   I  h ave a bit  of busi ne ss  o fmyown I want tose e t o,  an d I c a n
mana ge bo th a ton c e-- only do n 't t ellAn an ia o f i t,  or s he'l l  wo rry the 
life out  of me." 
Os bert la ughed.

"Make  y our mind e as y!"  saidh e .  "Go i n and get you ready, la d , and I 'll 
seeto g et you th e l eave." 

S t ephenturned  into  t heC a stle, t ofet ch  his cloak a ndmakeup  a p arcel
o f provisions, whil e  Os bert went tothe  Ear l ,  r etu r ni n g i na  fe w minutes
with le ave of abs en c efor Stephe n . To  the gr eat sat isfac t ion ofthe
latte r, Anania  w as n o t  at  home; sohe plund ered herl arder ,  a nd se t o ff,
le av ing  Osbe rt tom ake 
 held_out his_hand with a
smile; and_grew suddenly_grave_when there_was_deposited in it_a ball of
grey_wool.

"Who gave thee this?"

"Old_man--down there--said, `Give_it_that man with the brown hat,'" was
the answer.

Stephen thanked the child, threw it a_sweetmeat,_with which_his_pocket
was_generally provided, and ran after_the old man, whom he_overtook at
the_end of the street.

"What mean you by this?"_he_asked.

The old man_looked up blankly.

"I know not," said he.  "I_was to take it to Stephen_the Watchdog,--
that's all_I_know."

"Tell_me who gave it_you, then?"

"I can't tell you--a woman_I didn't know."

"Where?"

"A bit this side_o' Dorchester."

"That'll do.  Thank you."

The ball_was safely stored in Stephen's pocket,_and he hastened to the
Castle._ At_the gate he met his_brother.

"Here's a pretty_mess!" said_Osbert.  "There's_Orme of the Fen run off,
because_I gave him_a scolding for his impudence: and_it_is his turn_to
watch_to-night._ I_have not a_minute_to go_after_him; I don't know
whatever to do."

Stephen_grasped_the opportunity.

"I'll go after him for you,_if you'll get me_leave_for a couple of_days
or more.  I have_a bit of business of my_own I_want to_see to, and I can
manage both at once--only don't tell Anania_of it, or she'll worry the
life_out of me."

Osbert laughed.

"Make_your mind_easy!"_said he. _"Go_in and_get you ready, lad, and I'll
see to_get you_the leave."

Stephen turned into the Castle,_to fetch his cloak_and_make up a parcel
of provisions, while_Osbert went to the Earl, returning_in a few minutes
with leave_of_absence_for Stephen.  To the_great satisfaction of the
latter, Anania was_not at home;_so he plundered her larder, and set_off,
leaving_Osbert to make