“Thereheisagain，““Headhim，““Letdrive，““Ihadhimthere，“
“Takecarewhereyou’rethrowing，Madman。“Theshoutsmighthavebeenheardaquarterofamileoff。Theywereheardsometwohundredyardsoffbyafarmerandtwoofhisshepherds，whoweredoctoringsheepinafoldinthenextfield。
Now，thefarmerinquestionrentedahouseandyardsituateattheendofthefieldinwhichtheyoungbird-fanciershadarrived，whichhouseandyardhedidn’toccupyorkeepanyoneelsein。Nevertheless，likeabrainlessandunreasoningBriton，hepersistedinmaintainingonthepremisesalargestockofcocks，hens，andotherpoultry。Ofcourse，allsortsofdepredatorsvisitedtheplacefromtimetotime:foxesandgipsieswroughthavocinthenight；whileinthedaytime，I
regrettohavetoconfessthatvisitsfromtheRugbyboys，andconsequentdisappearancesofancientandrespectablefowlswerenotunfrequent。TomandEasthadduringtheperiodoftheiroutlawryvisitedthefarminquestionforfeloniouspurposes，andononeoccasionhadconqueredandslainaduckthere，andborneawaythecarcasstriumphantly，hiddenintheirhandkerchiefs。However，theyweresickenedofthepracticebythetroubleandanxietywhichthewretchedduck’sbodycausedthem。TheycarriedittoSallyHarrowell’s，inhopesofagoodsupper；butshe，afterexaminingit，madealongface，andrefusedtodressorhaveanythingtodowithit。Thentheytookitintotheirstudy，andbeganpluckingitthemselves；butwhattodowiththefeathers，wheretohidethem？
“Goodgracious，Tom，whatalotoffeathersaduckhas！“groanedEast，holdingabagfulinhishand，andlookingdisconsolatelyatthecarcass，notyethalfplucked。
“AndIdothinkhe’sgettinghigh，too，already，“saidTom，smellingathimcautiously，“sowemustfinishhimupsoon。“
“Yes，allverywell；buthowarewetocookhim？I’msureI
ain’tgoingtotryitoninthehallorpassages；wecan’taffordtoberoastingducksabout——ourcharacter’stoobad。“
“Iwishwewereridofthebrute，“saidTom，throwinghimonthetableindisgust。Andafteradayortwomoreitbecameclearthatgotridofhemustbe；sotheypackedhimandsealedhimupinbrownpaper，andputhiminthecupboardofanunoccupiedstudy，wherehewasfoundintheholidaysbythematron，agruesomebody。
Theyhadneverbeenduck-huntingtheresince，butothershad，andtheboldyeomanwasverysoreonthesubject，andbentonmakinganexampleofthefirstboyshecouldcatch。Soheandhisshepherdscrouchedbehindthehurdles，andwatchedtheparty，whowereapproachingallunconscious。Whyshouldthatoldguinea-fowlbelyingoutinthehedgejustatthisparticularmomentofalltheyear？Whocansay？Guinea-fowlsalwaysare；soareallotherthings，animals，andpersons，requisiteforgettingoneintoscrapes——alwaysreadywhenanymischiefcancomeofthem。Atanyrate，justunderEast’snosepoppedouttheoldguinea-hen，scuttlingalongandshrieking，“Comeback，comeback，“atthetopofhervoice。Eitheroftheotherthreemightperhapshavewithstoodthetemptation，butEastfirstletsdrivethestonehehasinhishandather，andthenrushestoturnherintothehedgeagain。Hesucceeds，andthentheyareallatitfordearlife，upanddownthehedgeinfullcry，the“Comeback，comeback，“gettingshrillerandfaintereveryminute。
Meantime，thefarmerandhismenstealoverthehurdlesandcreepdownthehedgetowardsthesceneofaction。Theyarealmostwithinastone’sthrowofMartin，whoispressingtheunluckychasehard，whenTomcatchessightofthem，andsingsout，“Louts，’warelouts，yourside！Madman，lookahead！“andthencatchingholdofArthur，hurrieshimawayacrossthefieldtowardsRugbyashardastheycantear。Hadhebeenbyhimself，hewouldhavestayedtoseeitoutwiththeothers，butnowhisheartsinksandallhispluckgoes。TheideaofbeingleduptotheDoctorwithArthurforbaggingfowlsquiteunmansandtakeshalftherunoutofhim。
However，noboysaremoreabletotakecareofthemselvesthanEastandMartin；theydodgethepursuers，slipthroughagap，andcomepeltingafterTomandArthur，whomtheycatchupinnotime。Thefarmerandhismenaremakinggoodrunningaboutafieldbehind。Tomwishestohimselfthattheyhadmadeoffinanyotherdirection，butnowtheyareallinforittogether，andmustseeitout。
“Youwon’tleavetheyoungun，willyou？“sayshe，astheyhaulpoorlittleArthur，alreadylosingwindfromthefright，throughthenexthedge。“Notwe，“istheanswerfromboth。Thenexthedgeisastiffone；thepursuersgainhorriblyonthem，andtheyonlyjustpullArthurthrough，withtwogreatrentsinhistrousers，astheforemostshepherdcomesupontheotherside。
Astheystartintothenextfield，theyareawareoftwofigureswalkingdownthefootpathinthemiddleofit，andrecognizeHolmesandDiggstakingaconstitutional。Thosegood-naturedfellowsimmediatelyshout，“On。““Let’sgotothemandsurrender，“pantsTom。Agreed。Andinanotherminutethefourboys，tothegreatastonishmentofthoseworthies，rushbreathlessuptoHolmesandDiggs，whopulluptoseewhatisthematter；andthenthewholeisexplainedbytheappearanceofthefarmerandhismen，whounitetheirforcesandbeardownontheknotofboys。
Thereisnotimetoexplain，andTom’sheartbeatsfrightfullyquick，asheponders，“Willtheystandbyus？“
ThefarmermakesarushatEastandcollarshim；andthatyounggentleman，withunusualdiscretion，insteadofkickinghisshins，looksappealinglyatHolmes，andstandsstill。
“Hullothere；notsofast，“saysHolmes，whoisboundtostandupforthemtilltheyareprovedinthewrong。“Nowwhat’sallthisabout？“
“I’vegottheyoungvarmintatlast，haveI，“pantsthefarmer；
“why，they’vebeena-skulkingaboutmyyardandstealingmyfowls——that’swhere’tis；andifIdoan’thavetheyfloggedforit，everyoneon’em，mynameain’tThompson。“
HolmeslooksgraveandDiggs’sfacefalls。Theyarequitereadytofight——noboysintheschoolmoreso；buttheyareprepostors，andunderstandtheiroffice，andcan’tupholdunrighteouscauses。
“Ihaven’tbeennearhisoldbarnthishalf，“criesEast。“NorI，““NorI，“chimeinTomandMartin。
“Now，Willum，didn’tyousee’emtherelastweek？“
“Ees，Iseen’emsureenough，“saysWillum，graspingapronghecarried，andpreparingforaction。
Theboysdenystoutly，andWillumisdriventoadmitthat“ifitworn’tthey’twaschapsaslike’emastwopeas’n；“and“leastwayshe’llswearhesee’dthemtwointheyardlastMartinmas，“indicatingEastandTom。
Holmeshashadtimetomeditate。“Now，sir，“sayshetoWillum，“youseeyoucan’trememberwhatyouhaveseen，andIbelievetheboys。“
“Idoan’tcare，“blustersthefarmer；“theywasartermyfowlsto-day——that’senoughforI——Willum，youcatchholdo’
t’otherchap。They’vebeena-sneakingaboutthistwohours，I
tells’ee，“shoutedhe，asHolmesstandsbetweenMartinandWillum，“andhavedruvamatterofadozenyoungpulletsprettynightodeath。“
“Oh，there’sawhacker！“criedEast；“wehaven’tbeenwithinahundredyardsofhisbarn；wehaven’tbeenuphereabovetenminutes，andwe’veseennothingbutatougholdguinea-hen，whoranlikeagreyhound。“
“Indeed，that’salltrue，Holmes，uponmyhonour，“addedTom；
“weweren’tafterhisfowls；guinea-henranoutofthehedgeunderourfeet，andwe’veseennothingelse。“
“Drattheirtalk。Theecatchholdo’t’other，Willum，andcomealongwi’un。“
“FarmerThompson，“saidHolmes，warningoffWillumandtheprongwithhisstick，whileDiggsfacedtheothershepherd，crackinghisfingerslikepistol-shots，“nowlistentoreason。Theboyshaven’tbeenafteryourfowls，that’splain。“
“Tells’eeIsee’d’em。Whobeyou，Ishouldliketoknow？“
“Neveryoumind，farmer，“answeredHolmes。“AndnowI’lljusttellyouwhatitis:yououghttobeashamedofyourselfforleavingallthatpoultryabout，withnoonetowatchit，soneartheSchool。Youdeservetohaveitallstolen。SoifyouchoosetocomeuptotheDoctorwiththem，Ishallgowithyou，andtellhimwhatIthinkofit。“
ThefarmerbegantotakeHolmesforamaster；besides，hewantedtogetbacktohisflock。Corporalpunishmentwasoutofthequestion，theoddsweretoogreat；sohebegantohintatpayingforthedamage。Arthurjumpedatthis，offeringtopayanything，andthefarmerimmediatelyvaluedtheguinea-henathalfasovereign。
“Halfasovereign！“criedEast，nowreleasedfromthefarmer’sgrip；“well，thatisagoodone！Theoldhenain’thurtabit，andshe’ssevenyearsold，Iknow，andastoughaswhipcord；shecouldn’tlayanothereggtosaveherlife。“
Itwasatlastsettledthattheyshouldpaythefarmertwoshillings，andhismanoneshilling；andsothematterended，totheunspeakablereliefofTom，whohadn’tbeenabletosayaword，beingsickatheartattheideaofwhattheDoctorwouldthinkofhim；andnowthewholepartyofboysmarchedoffdownthefootpathtowardsRugby。Holmes，whowasoneofthebestboysintheSchool，begantoimprovetheoccasion。“Now，youyoungsters，“saidhe，ashemarchedalonginthemiddleofthem，“mindthis；you’reverywelloutofthisscrape。Don’tyougonearThompson’sbarnagain；doyouhear？“
Profusepromisesfromall，especiallyEast。
“Mind，Idon’taskquestions，“wentonMentor，“butIratherthinksomeofyouhavebeentherebeforethisafterhischickens。Now，knockingoverotherpeople’schickens，andrunningoffwiththem，isstealing。It’sanastyword，butthat’stheplainEnglishofit。Ifthechickensweredeadandlyinginashop，youwouldn’ttakethem，Iknowthat，anymorethanyouwouldapplesoutofGriffith’sbasket；butthere’snorealdifferencebetweenchickensrunningaboutandapplesonatree，andthesamearticlesinashop。Iwishourmoralsweresounderinsuchmatters。There’snothingsomischievousastheseschooldistinctions，whichjumbleuprightandwrong，andjustifythingsinusforwhichpoorboyswouldbesenttoprison。“AndgoodoldHolmesdeliveredhissoulonthewalkhomeofmanywisesayings，and，asthesongsays，“Gee’d’emasightofgoodadvice；“
