17.
Tom then slips out and takes up the shoe
and runs across the fields, until he got
before the Butcher, at another open of
a hedge, about half a mile distant, and
throws out the shoe again on the middle
of the road; then up comes the Butcher
and seeing it, says to himself; now I shall
have a pair of good shoes for the lifting;
and down he comes, lays the call on the
ground, and tying his horse to the hedge,
runs back thinking to get the other shoe,
in which time, Tom whips up the calf
and shoe, and home be comes demanding
his wager, which his master could not
refuse, being so fairly won the poor
Butcher, not finding the shoe, came back
to his horse, and missing the calf, knew
not what to do; but thinking it had broke
the rope from about its feet, and had run
into the fields, the Butcher spent the day
in search of it, amongst the hedges and
ditches, and returned to Tom's master's
all night, intending to go in search again
for it next day; and gave them a tedious
relation how he came to lose it by a curs-
ed pair of shoes, which he believed the
devil had dropped in his way, and taken
the calf and shoes along with him; but
he was thankful he had left his old horse
to carry him home. Next morning Tom
set to work, and makes a fine white face
