Page 91 - The snake's pass

THE SECRETS OF THE BOG. 79
frind is very welkim. Do what you like— go where you
choose—bring whom you will—only get on wid the worrk
and kape it saycret."
" Aye ! " sneered Dick, " you are ready to climb down
because you want something done, and you know that this
is the last day for work on this side of the hill. Well, let
me tell you this—for you'll do anything for greed—that
you and I together, doing all we can, shall not be able
to cover all the ground. I haven't said a word to my
friend—and I don't know how he will take any request
from you after your impudence ; but he is my friend, and
a clever man, and if you ask him nicely, perhaps he
will be good enough to stay and lend us a hand."
The man made me a low bow and asked me in suitable
terms if I would kindly stop part of the day and help in
the work. Needless to say I acquiesced. Murdock eyed
me keenly, as though to make up his mind whether or no
I recollected him—he evidently remembered me—but I
affected ignorance, and he seemed satisfied. I was glad
to notice that the blow of Joyce's riding switch still
remained across his face as a livid scar. He went away
to get the appliances ready for work, in obedience to a
direction from Sutherland.
" One has to cut that hound's corns rather roughly,'*
said the latter, with a nice confusion of metaphors, as
soon as Murdock had disappeared.
Dick then told me that his work was to make magnetic
experiments to ascertain, if possible, if there was any iron
hidden in the ground.