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The noise that was made was awful–everybody shouting that they ‘adn’t done it, and all speaking at once, and Mr. Sutton was dancing about a’most beside ‘imself with rage. Pore Sam and Peter was ‘elped along by the others; Sam being carried and Peter led, and both of ’em with the idea of getting all they could out of it, making such ‘orrible noises that Mr. Sutton couldn’t hear ‘imself calling his friends names.

“There seems to be wounded men calling out all over the place,” he ses, in a temper.

“I think there is another one over there, sir,” ses one o’ the keepers, pointing.

Sam Jones and Peter Gubbins both left off to listen, and then they all heard it distinctly. A dreadful noise it was, and when Mr. Sutton and one or two more follered it up they found poor Walter Bell lying on ‘is face in a bramble.

“Wot’s the matter?” ses Mr. Sutton, shouting at ‘im.

“I’ve been shot from behind,” ses Walter. “I’d got something in my boot, and I was just stooping down to fasten it up agin when I got it.

“But there oughtn’t to be anybody ‘ere,” ses Mr. Sutton to one of the keepers.

“They get all over the place, sir,” ses the ‘keeper, scratching his ‘ead. “I fancied I ‘eard a gun go off here a minute or two arter the others was shot.”

“I believe he’s done it ‘imself,” says Mr. Sutton, stamping his foot.

“I don’t see ‘ow he could, sir,” ses the keeper, touching his cap and looking at Walter as was still lying with ‘is face on ‘is arms.

They carried Walter ‘ome that way on a hurdle, and Dr. Green spent all the rest o’ that day picking shots out o’ them three men and telling ’em to keep still. He ‘ad to do Sam Jones by candle-light, with Mrs. Jones ‘olding the candle with one hand and crying with the other. Twice the doctor told her to keep it steady, and poor Sam ‘ad only just passed the remark, “How ‘ot it was for October,” when they discovered that the bed was on fire. The doctor said that Sam was no trouble. He got off of the bed by ‘imself, and, when it was all over and the fire put out, the doctor found him sitting on the stairs with the leg of a broken chair in ‘is hand calling for ‘is wife.

Of course, there was a terrible to-do about it in Claybury, and up at the Hall, too. All of the gentlemen said as ‘ow they hadn’t done it, and Mr. Sutton was arf crazy with rage. He said that they ‘ad made ‘im the laughing-stock of the neighbourhood, and that they oughtn’t to shoot with anything but pop-guns. They got to such high words over it that two of the gentlemen went off ‘ome that very night.

There was a lot of talk up at the Cauliflower, too, and more than one pointed out ‘ow lucky Bob Pretty was in getting four men out of the six in his club. As I said afore, Bob was away at the time, but he came back the next night and we ‘ad the biggest row here you could wish for to see.

Henery Walker began it. “I s’pose you’ve ‘eard the dreadful news, Bob Pretty?” he ses, looking at ‘im.

“I ‘ave,” ses Bob; “and my ‘art bled for ’em. I told you wot those gentlemen was like, didn’t I? But none of you would believe me. Now you can see as I was right.”

“It’s very strange,” ses Henery Walker, looking round; “it’s very strange that all of us wot’s been shot belonged to Bob Pretty’s precious club.”

“It’s my luck, Henery,” ses Bob, “always was lucky from a child.”

“And I s’pose you think you’re going to ‘ave arf of the money they get?” ses Henery Walker.

“Don’t talk about money while them pore chaps is suffering,” ses Bob. “I’m surprised at you, Henery.”