Edward held his dog by the mouth, that he
should not growl or bark, and then went on in a direction so as to
bring the pitfall exactly between Corbould and himself. Having done
so, he proceeded at a more rapid pace; and Corbould, following him,
also increased his, till he arrived at the pitfall, which he could not
perceive, and fell into it headlong; and as he fell into the pit, at
the same time Edward heard the discharge of his gun, the crash of the
small branches laid over it, and a cry on the part of Corbould. "That
will do," thought Edward, "now you may lie there as long as the gipsy
did, and that will cool your courage. Humphrey's pitfall is full of
adventure. In this case it has done me a service. Now I may turn and
go home as fast as I can. Come Holdfast, old boy, we both want our
suppers. I can answer for one, for I could eat the whole of that pasty
which Oswald set before me this morning." Edward walked at a rapid
pace, quite delighted at the issue of the adventure. As he arrived
near to the cottage he found Humphrey outside, with Pablo, on the
look-out for him. He soon joined them, and soon after embraced Alice
and Edith, who had been anxiously waiting for his return, and who had
wondered at his being out so late.
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