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" Pooh , pooh ! " said the watchman . " Those are nothing to frighten us . They are the farmer's cattle , trying to find their way home . The farmer himself is enjoying the holiday , and he has forgotten to bring them in . If the Douglas should happen this way before morning , he will be sorry for his carelessness . " But the dark objects were not cattle . They were the Black Douglas and his men , creeping on hands and feet toward the foot of the castle wall . Some of them were dragging ladders behind them through the grass . They would soon be climbing to the top of the wall . None of the English soldiers dreamed that they were within many miles of the place . The woman watched them until the last one had passed around a corner out of sight . She was not afraid , for in the darkening twilight they looked indeed like cattle . After a little while she began to sing to her child : — " Hush ye , hush ye , little pet ye , Hush ye , hush ye , do not fret ye , The Black Douglas shall not get ye . " All at once a gruff voice was heard behind her , saying , " Don't be so sure about that ! " She looked around , and there stood the Black Douglas himself . At the same moment a Scottish soldier climbed off a ladder and leaped upon the wall ; and then there came another and another and another , until the wall was covered with them . Soon there was hot fighting in every part of the castle . But the English were so taken by surprise that they could not do much . Many of them were killed , and in a little while the Black Douglas and his men were the masters of the castle , which by right belonged to them . As for the woman and her child , the Black Douglas would not suffer any one to harm them . After a while they went back to England ; and whether the mother made up any more songs about the Black Douglas I cannot tell . THREE MEN OF GOTHAM . There is a town in England called Gotham , and many merry stories are told of the queer people who used to live there . One day two men of Gotham met on a bridge . Hodge was coming from the market , and Peter was going to the market . " Where are you going ? " said Hodge . " I am going to the market to buy sheep , " said Peter . " Buy sheep ? " said Hodge . " And which way will you bring them home ? " " I shall bring them over this bridge , " said Peter . " No , you shall not , " said Hodge . " Yes , but I will , " said Peter . " You shall not , " said Hodge . " I will , " said Peter . Then they beat with their sticks on the ground as though there had been a hundred sheep between them . " Take care ! " cried Peter . " Look out that my sheep don't jump on the bridge . " " I care not where they jump , " said Hodge ; " but they shall not go over it . " " But they shall , " said Peter . " Have a care , " said Hodge ; " for if you say too much , I will put my fingers in your mouth . "
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