Walk to the P.O.--Harding's Portrait--The Encampment
Besieged--Wilkinson Wounded--Serlizer and Other Prisoners--No
Underground Passage Found--Bangs and Guard Remain--The Constable's
New Prisoners--Wilkinson a Hero--The Constable and Maguffin--Cards.
There was no room for twenty persons in two waggons, yet twenty proposed
to go, seventeen to the seat of war, and three to the post-office. As
those three were the young ladies of the house, all the warriors offered
to surrender their seats to them. They refused to accept any surrender,
preferring to walk, whereupon Messrs. Errol, Wilkinson and Coristine
thought an after-dinner walk the height of luxury. Mr. Bangs saw he was
not wanted as a fellow pedestrian, and mounted his horse instead of
having him trot behind a waggon. The vehicles, or at least one of them,
received instructions to wait at the post-office for the three members
of squad No. 1. The walk was strictly proper, Mr. Errol taking Miss
Carmichael, the dominie Miss Halbert, and the lawyer Miss Du Plessis.
"What a goose you are, Mr. Wilkinson," said his fair companion. "What a
goose you are to leave Cecile, whose footsteps you fairly worship, and
to come and walk with a girl for whose society you don't care a penny."
"I should care more for Miss Halbert's society if she did not say such
unjustifiable things."
"Cecile," called the young lady, "I want to change escorts with you; I
like pleasant society."
The dominie felt as if a big school-girl had declined to receive a
reprimand from the principal, and coloured with vexation, but Miss Du
Plessis calmly turned and said: "If Mr. Wilkinson is tired of you
already, Fanny, I suppose I must send Mr. Coristine to comfort you,"
whereat Mr. Errol and his companion exchanged a smile.
"Did the villain shoot Wordsworth at you, Miss Halbert, or was it Hans
Breitmann in the original, or a Spanish _cantinella_, or some such
rubbish? If I was Miss Du Plessis I'd wear a signboard over my ears, 'No
poetical rubbish shot here;' perhaps that might fix him."
"Cecile is sentimental: she dotes on poetry."
"Pardon me for saying I don't believe it. I offered to recite my
original poem on the Grinstun man to her, and she didn't seem to want to
hear it."
"How ungrateful and unsympathetic! You will favour me with it, will you
not?"
"With the greatest pleasure in the world. You know it's awful
balderdash, but here goes."
The original poem was recited with appropriate gestures, intended to
imitate the walk of the hero of the piece and his various features. The
people in front turned their heads to look at the performance and take
in the words. Not to laugh was almost an impossibility, but the dominie
succeeded in doing the impossible, and frowned heavily. He felt that his
unworthy friend was bringing disgrace upon the causes of poetry and
pedestrianism. When her laughter subsided, Miss Halbert said: "There is
one thing I want to ask you seriously, Mr. Coristine." "Name it," he
answered, "even to the half of my fortune." "It is to look after papa,
and see that he does not expose himself too much to danger. I asked Mr.
Perrowne too, but he is with the horsemen, you know." This last was said
with a peculiarly arch smile, which convinced the lawyer that Perrowne
was in deeper than was generally suspected. The first thought that
followed in Coristine's mind was what awful cheek he had been guilty of
in following Perrowne's precedent in drop the handkerchief. He managed,
however, to assure the lady that he would do his best to watch over the
safety of her father and Squire Carruthers, the latter words being
spoken loud enough for Miss Carmichael to hear. When the post-office was
reached Mr. Bangs dismounted, was ready to receive the ladies; and the
three escorts, shaking hands warmly with each of their fair companions,
entered the remaining waggon and drove away, the buts of their firearms
rattling on the floor, and the suspended bludgeons playfully flogging
their shoulders.
It was ghastly work propping up the dead murderer's shoulders in the
shell, and placing a rest for his head. The jaw had been tied up, but
the eyes would not close; yet, staring though the face was, it was not a
repulsive one. The ordinary observer could not read what Bangs saw
there, greed and hypocrisy, envy, treachery, murder. While Miss Du
Plessis went on calmly sketching, the other girls turned their heads
away. No one cared to break the stillness by a word. The detective went
out and secured the services of Styles to accompany the ladies home, and
remain at Bridesdale till the armed band returned. Then he went over to
the shell in which the body of his brother detective lay, and, nobody
looking at him, allowed himself the luxury of a few tears, a silent
tribute to the man he honoured. When the sketch was completed, he warmly
thanked the artist, and told her that he never would have dreamt of
proposing such a task, but for his desire to do justice to his dead
friend, whom an informer named Flower had greatly injured in the
department. The department had faith in his cleverness all along, but
suspicions had been cast upon his honesty, which embittered his days,
along with troubles that were then only known to himself.
Bangs was not a detective, but a man of warm, brotherly heart, as he
told the tale of the outwardly always cheerful, but inwardly
sore-hearted, Nash, cut off in the midst of his years and usefulness.
Then old Styles appeared, and, with a salute, the detective mounted and
rode away to join the forces in front, while the ladies journeyed
homeward. Mr. Bangs soliloquized as he rode rapidly on. "Boys read
detective stories, and think our life an enviable one. They dowte on
the schemes, the plots and counterplots, the risks, the triumphs, and
look beyond to fame and rewerd, but they know nothing of the miserable
envies and jealousies, the sespicions, the checks and counterchecks, and
the demnable policy of the depertment, encouraging these irresponsible
informers, dem 'em, to break up all legitimate business and merder
honest men. O Nesh, my pore dead friend, yo're avenged in a wey, bet
who's going to avenge yore pore sister, and even this devil of a Flower
or Herding, whose death lies at the door of that greater devil of a
Rawdon?"
The expedition was waiting for him at Richards', the colonel in command.
The scow had departed in charge of the captain, who had orders to do
nothing to the barrier till he heard a signal shot; then he was to
respond with the unmistakable blunderbuss, and batter down the
obstruction. Squire Walker, Mr. Perrowne, and Maguffin had patrolled,
without meeting even a passing team or wayfarer; but the colonel judged
it best to get off the road without delay. Accordingly the waggons were
left in Richards' shed, and the infantry doubled forward after the
colonel and Bangs. When the rocky ascent was reached, over which the
fugitives of the night before had clambered, a halt was called, and the
colonel gave Dr. Halbert instructions. Just where the rock rose out of
the swamp, Sergeant Terry's squad entered, and easily wheeled round
large trunks of trees resting on stone pivots, revealing a good
waggon-track, the masked road. This the cavalry occupied, looking to the
priming of their pistols, and bringing their clubs into handy positions.
The Squire's squad scaled the height near the road, and Mr. Terry's took
ground farther to the right. The doctor led the way in front of and
between the two sections. The cavalry moved slowly, keeping pace with
the climbers. Soon the crest was reached, and the main body began to
descend gradually, when the dominie slipped and his piece went off, the
trigger having caught in his red window cord, startling the echoes. Then
came the diffusive boom and crackle of the blunderbuss, and the doctor,
inwardly anathematizing Wilkinson, hurried his men on. They heard axes
at work, as if trees were being felled; it was the Captain and the
Richards at the barrier. No enemy appeared on the rocks, but pistol
shots warned them that there was collision on the road, and the doctor
called the second squad to wheel towards it. The dominie, on the left of
the first, saw what was going on below. Revolvers were emptied and clubs
brought into requisition. He could not load his old muzzle-loading piece
to save his life, but he knew single stick. Two men were tackling the
brave old colonel, while a third lay wounded at his horse's feet. The
dominie sped down to the road like a chamois, and threw himself upon the
man on the colonel's right, the dissipated farmer. He heard a shot, felt
a sharp pain in his left arm, but with his right hit the holder of the
pistol a skull cracker over the head, then fainted and fell to the
ground. His luckless muzzle-loader was never found. The colonel had
floored his antagonist on the left, and turned to behold the dominie's
pale face. Leaving the command to the doctor, he dismounted and put a
little old Bourbon out of a pocket flask into his lips, and then
proceeded to bandage the wound. Wilkinson had saved his life; he was a
hero, a grand, cultivated, sympathetic, chivalrous man, whom the colonel
loved as his own son. When he came to, were not the very first words he
uttered enquiries for Colonel Morton's own safety? Maguffin, having
felled his man, held his master's horse.
Squire Walker, Mr. Perrowne, and Bangs galloped on, the latter eager to
seize Rawdon. They and the infantry squads came almost simultaneously
upon the select encampment, which was simply a large stone-mason's yard,
full of grindstones in every state of preparation, and bordered by
half-a-dozen frame buildings, one of which, more pretentious than the
others, was evidently the dwelling-place of the head of the concern. Two
simple-looking men in mason's aprons stood in the doorway of another,
having retired thither when they heard the sound of firing. This was
evidently the boarding-house of the workmen, and an object of interest
to Ben Toner, who, with his friends Sullivan and Timotheus, pushed past
the two stonecutters, immediately thereafter arrested by Sergeant Terry,
and invaded the structure. Soon Ben reappeared upon the scene,
accompanied by a young woman whose proportions were little, if at all,
short of his own, and calling aloud to all the company, as if he had
accomplished the main object of the expedition, "It's all raight, boys,
I've got Serlizer!" Behind the happy pair came an old woman, gray,
wrinkled, and with features that bore unmistakable traces of sorrow and
suffering. "Hev they ben good to you, Serlizer?" asked Mr. Toner, after
he had in the most public and unblushing manner saluted his long lost
sweetheart. The large woman raised her bared arms from the elbow
significantly, and replied, with a trace of her father's gruffness, "I
didn't arst 'em; 'sides I allers had old Marm Flowers to keep 'em off."
The expedition was demoralized. The colonel and his servant were with
the dominie on the road. Ben, with Timotheus and Sullivan, was rejoicing
in Serlizer; while Mr. Hislop and Rufus were guarding the captured
stone-cutters. Sylvanus, not to be outdone by his companions of the
second squad, attached himself, partly as a protector, partly as a
prisoner's guard, to Mrs. Flower, the keeper of the boarding-house.
Sergeant Terry, without a command, followed what remained of the first
squad in its search for Rawdon. The first person he came upon, in his
way down to the water, was Monsieur Lajeunesse, who could run no
farther, and, perspiring at every pore, sat upon a log, mopping his face
with a handkerchief.
"A such coorse 'ave I not med, Meestare Terray, sinsa zat I vas a too
ptee garsong." Mr. Terry understood, owing to large experience of
foreigners, and could not permit the opportunity of making a
philological remark to pass, "D'ye know, Mishter Lashness, that Frinch
an' the rale ould Oirish is as loike as two pays? Now, there's garsan is
as Oirish a worrud for a young bhoy as ye'll find in Connaught. But juty
is juty, moy dare sorr, so, as they say in the arrmy, 'Fag a bealach,'
lave the way." The sergeant's next discovery was the doctor, borne in
the arms of the lawyer and the dismounted parson. He had sprained his
ancle in the rapid descent to which his zeal had impelled him, and had
thus been compelled to leave the Squire in command. Mr. Hill had been
left behind on the left of the encampment with the horses of the three
dismounted cavaliers, Squire Walker, Mr. Perrowne, and the detective, so
that Sergeant Carruthers, now acting colonel, had with him a mere
corporal's guard, consisting of Messrs. Errol and Bigglethorpe.
The junction of the land forces with those operating on the water was
effected in good order, the latter being intact under command of the
captain, but the former exhibiting, by their terribly reduced numbers,
the dreadful fatality of war. Squire Walker and Mr. Bangs alone
represented the cavalry; Carruthers and his corporal's guard, the first
squad, and the veteran all alone, the second squad of the infantry. Even
this remnant had its deserter, for, during the conversation between the
Squire and the Captain, private Bigglethorpe stole away, and when next
seen was standing far out upon a dead hemlock that had fallen into the
lake, fishing with great contentment, and a measure of success, for
bass. The numbers of the force were soon augmented by the appearance of
the doctor and his bearers. The disabled physician was accommodated with
a seat on the bottom of the scow, two of the Richards boys being
displaced in his favour. The Captain reported a prize in the shape of a
handsome varnished skiff, which he found drawn up on some skids or
rollers at the foot of a great mass of rock, that seemed as if cut all
about in regular form, in readiness for quarrying. The finding of the
boat just opposite it, the worn appearance of the ground, the absence of
moss or any other growth on the severed edges of the square mass of
limestone, led the detective to ask if there was any report of a
subterraneous passage in connection with this mysterious region. The
doctor, whom his former guide had taken by water, and insisted on
blindfolding at a certain point, was sure that he had walked some
distance on rock, and, although the lamp-lit room, in which he had seen
his patients, was lined with wood, and had blinds on apparent windows,
he doubted much that it was built in the open air. Then, Coristine
remembered how the dissipated farmer had coupled Rawdon's geology with
trap rock, as well as with galena, quartz and beryl. Knives were
produced and thrust into the seams at the top and on the two sides, as
far as the blades would go, but along the bottom there was no horizontal
incision answering to that above; it was perpendicular towards the
earth, and of no great depth.
It was decided, in the meanwhile, to leave the Captain with Richards
senior, his youngest son, and Mr. Bigglethorpe, who declined to leave
his sport, as a guard on the skiff and the adjoining mysterious stone.
The rest of the party returned to the encampment, to consult with the
colonel and learn the reason of his absence. Pierre Lajeunesse was found
where Mr. Terry had left him, and gladly accepted an arm up the hill.
Arrived at the stone-yard, the Squire and Coristine learnt with concern
of the dominie's wound, but were rejoiced to find it was nothing more
serious, and that his was the only casualty, besides the doctor's.
Squire Walker and Mr. Bangs accompanied the colonel, whom Coristine
relieved in attendance upon the dominie, and Maguffin, to look for the
felled accomplices of Rawdon, but, of the four who certainly were
knocked insensible by the clubs, not one was to be found, nor was there
any sign that the pistols of the cavalry had taken effect on the other
three. The whole seven had escaped. Meanwhile Rawdon's house and all the
other buildings had been searched by Carruthers, without a single
incriminating thing, save a half empty keg of peculiar white spirits,
being brought to light. The stables contained many horses; and strong
waggons, such as those seen by the pedestrians at the Beaver River, were
in the sheds. The stone-cutters and the women professed to know nothing,
and, save in the case of the woman called Flower, Bangs was of opinion
that they spoke the truth. All the men could tell was that Rawdon paid
them good wages, so that they were able to live without work all winter;
that six other men worked for him elsewhere and came to the
boarding-house for their meals, but did not sleep there; that one of
them had got hurt in the back, and was away in the hospital, and that
two teamsters had left shortly before the intruders arrived, along with
the remaining five. They had also seen Rawdon ride in that morning, but
did not know where he had gone. Did they know of any underground vaults
or trap doors, or any buildings apart from those in the encampment? No,
they had seen none; but, three years ago, before they returned to work
in the spring, there must have been quarrymen about, for enormous
quantities of stone were lying ready for them, which they had not taken
out. Mrs. Flower declined to answer any questions, but did not scruple
to ask if the Squire and others had seen anything of a man called
Harding. When she learned the man's fate, as she sat in a low chair,
she rocked it to and fro and groaned, but shed no tear nor uttered an
articulate syllable.
Bangs would not give up the search, nor would he leave the place. There
was food enough in the boarding-house, and he would remain, even if he
had to stay alone. Squire Walker had to be home for an engagement early
in the morning; the two clergymen had to prepare for Wednesday evening's
duty, and had pastoral work before them; the colonel could not leave the
man who had saved his life. The doctor and the dominie were
incapacitated; Ben Toner was worse than useless over Serlizer; Pierre
dreaded his beloved Angelique's ire if he remained away over night; and
Sullivan's folks might be kinder anxious about him. Messrs. Hill and
Hislop also thought they had better be going. Thus the army melted away.
Everybody insisted on the Squire going home, and getting a good night's
rest. When, with difficulty, persuaded to do so, he offered to leave
Timotheus as his substitute, if that worthy were willing. Timotheus
consented, whereupon Sylvanus and Rufus volunteered, it being understood
that Ben Toner and Maguffin would do their work about the kitchen and
stables, while Serlizer helped the Bridesdale maids. Two other
volunteers were Mr. Terry and the lawyer; and two of the Richards
offered to watch with Mr. Bigglethorpe on the lake shore. Thereupon, the
three members of that gallant family withdrew to the lake, and, while
one boarded the scow and helped his father and younger brother, under
the Captain's directions, to paddle home, the others hailed the
fisherman and asked if he was going to remain. "I'm here for the night,
boys," replied the man of the rod. "I'll turn up that skiff against the
wind and dew, light a fire by the water, and, early in the morning, have
the loveliest bass fishing I've had for many a day. Oh yes, I'm here.
D'ye see my gun lying about anywhere?" Mr. Bigglethorpe's gun was found,
and deposited in the skiff. While this was going on below, Ben Toner
harnessed up a team, hitched them to a waggon, for which he found seats
by depriving other waggons of their boxes, and prepared to take the
wounded dominie, his affectionate friend, the colonel, with Serlizer and
the woman Flower, to Bridesdale. The last named person insisted upon
going at once to see the dead body of Harding. The two stone-cutters
also asked to be allowed to accompany the two props of the encampment
boarding house. Mr. Hill rode the colonel's horse, and the Squire, that
of the detective. Along the once masked, but now unmasked, road, the
procession of waggon, horsemen, and footmen, passed, waving a farewell
to the allies of Mr. Bangs who held the fort. It should be added that
Sylvanus accompanied them as far as the Richards' place, to obtain the
Captain's permission for his volunteering, and to bring the borrowed
waggon back.
At Richards' the waggons were brought out. One was devoted to the two
injured men, the dominie and the doctor, with their attendants, the
colonel and the Captain, and Barney Sullivan as driver. The other was
driven by Ben, with Serlizer beside him. It also contained the woman
Flower, Mr. Errol, Mr. Lajeunesse, and Mr. Hislop. The cavalry,
consisting of Squire Walker in command, Mr. Perrowne, Carruthers, Hill,
and Maguffin, trotted forward, and the infantry and prisoners,
comprising Tom Rigby, who turned up at the Lake Settlement, and the two
masons, followed in the rear. The constable was angry; he had lost his
prisoners of the morning. Having arrived at Mr. Newberry's hospitable
house, and being asked to take some refreshments, which, esteeming the
objects of his care to be simple souls, he had no hesitation in doing,
he was amazed, on his return to the waggon, to find his captives gone.
At once he started in pursuit, but, up to the time of his arrival at the
Lake Settlement, he had seen no trace of the fugitives. Accordingly, the
corporal made the present life of the two stone cutters a burden. He
searched them for concealed weapons, and confiscated the innocent pocket
knives with which they shred their plug tobacco; he forbade them to
smoke; and, finally, tied the left hand of the one to the right of the
other to prevent their running away, of which they disclaimed any
intention. The cavalry came first to the gate of Bridesdale, and
reported the casualties, Perrowne proudly relating that he and
Coristine, who was "now end of a good fellow," had carried the doctor to
the scow, which he called "the bowt." Ben Toner's waggon came next,
having dropped Mrs. Flower at the post office, where, a little later,
the constable landed his prisoners. Her companion Serlizer sought the
kitchen with Ben, while Mr. Errol joined his brother divine; but
Messrs. Hislop and Lajeunesse, with Mr. Hill, waited only for Sylvanus'
appearance to take their homeward journey. At last the ambulance waggon
drove slowly up, and tender hands lifted out the disabled and the
wounded. Miss Halbert and Miss Carmichael relieved the Captain of his
patient, who managed to hop cheerfully into the house, with an arm on
each of their shoulders. The Squire and the colonel helped the dominie
along, and up to a special single room which was to be his hospital, and
which Mrs. and Miss Du Plessis and Mrs. Carruthers were prepared to
enter as nurses, so soon as his bearers had put him to bed. Then the
doctor came up with his instruments, cut off the colonel's improvised
bandage and the shirt sleeve, bathed the wound, found and extracted the
bullet, and tied all up tight. The meek dominie bore it all with
patience, and apologized to his surgeon for giving him so much trouble
while he himself was suffering. The three ladies brought the wounded
hero all manner of good things that sick people are supposed to like or
to be allowed to eat and drink, and Wilkinson was in a _dolce far
niente_ elysium. Little Marjorie, having knocked timidly at the door,
came in with some square gaudily-covered books under her arm, and asked
if Mr. Wilks would like her to read to him. She offered the victim his
choice of "Puss in Boots," "Mother Goose," and "Nursery Rhymes"; but
Miss Du Plessis, who, at the sufferer's request, was looking up in
Wordsworth that cheerful theme, The Churchyard in "The Excursion,"
interposed, saying, some other day, when Mr. Wilkinson had grown
stronger, he might perhaps be able to make a selection from her juvenile
library. Marjorie told her cousin that she was sure, if it had been her
Eugene who was sick, he would have liked her to stay and read to him.
She had told Eugene to marry Cecile, but she would never do so any more;
she would give him all to cousin Marjorie.
The three squires sat in council, and agreed to dismiss the nominal
captives on condition of their promising to appear when wanted as
witnesses. This Serlizer at once agreed to. Mr. Walker rode to the post
office and exacted the promise from Mrs. Flower and the masons, thus
depriving the constable of his prey. He was compelled to untie their
hands, and restore the confiscated pocket knives. The masons were
invited to supper at Bridesdale, as was the woman; but the men proposed
to go on to the River, as they had money to pay their way; and Mrs.
Flower, who would not leave Harding's body, was given in charge to the
post mistress. The supper tables in hall and kitchen were very different
from those of the previous night. In the latter, Ben Toner, the
constable, and Maguffin had each a lady to talk to. Their superiors
missed the company of the lawyer, the detective, and Mr. Bigglethorpe,
to say nothing of Mr. Terry. The doctor was stretched out upon a sofa in
the office, where his daughter waited on him, assisted by Perrowne, who
had to carry the other articles of food while she preceded him with the
tea. Miss Du Plessis, similarly helped by the colonel, attended to the
wants of the dominie. Consequently, the steady members of the supper
circle were the three matrons and Miss Carmichael, with Squires Walker
and Carruthers, Mr. Errol, and the Captain. All agreed that Wilkinson
had done a very fine thing, and Mrs. Du Plessis was warm in his praise.
"The only men that stuck to me," said the Squire, "were Mr. Errol and
Bigglethorpe, and even Bigglethorpe went off fishing as soon as he came
to the water, so that I may say Mr. Errol was my only faithful
adherent." The ladies all looked with much approbation on the blushing
minister, and Mrs. Carmichael showed her approval by immediately
refilling his cup. Squire Walker whispered in his ear: "Fine woman, Mr.
Errol, fine woman, that Mrs. Carmichael! Is she a widow, sir?" Mr. Errol
did not like this whispering at table, especially on such a subject, but
he replied affirmatively in as brief a way as possible, and went on with
his repast. The Captain said that his mill was clean run out of gear
with all these starboard and port watches and tacks to every point of
the compass; and, when conversation lagged, Carruthers fairly nodded
over his plate. Nevertheless, after supper, the occupants of the kitchen
were called in and prayers were held, in which Mr. Errol offered
petitions for the bereaved, the suffering, and the criminal, and
committed the watchers at the post of danger and duty to the care of
their Heavenly Father, to all of which Mr. Perrowne responded with a
hearty Amen. Then, the parsons insisted on going home to their boarding
houses, and Squire Walker mounted his horse for home. Anxiously, Mrs.
Carruthers asked her husband if he anticipated danger where her father
was, and Miss Carmichael asked the Captain the same question, without
mentioning anyone, but having Coristine in view. Both endeavoured to
reassure the minds of the half tearful women, after which they carried
the doctor upstairs, and all went to bed. Fearing that the idiot boy
might repeat his double attempt to fire the verandah, Mr. Perrowne had
told Muggins to lie there and watch it, and there the faithful dog lay
the whole night through, to the satisfaction of the inmates of
Bridesdale, although happily nothing happened to test his quality as a
watch dog.
In the kitchen, Mr. Maguffin considered himself, next to Tryphena and
Tryphosa, the representative of the family, as the deputy of Timotheus
and the servant of the colonel. Ben Toner was his ally in war, but had
no local standing, and the pensioner was simply an intruder. Yet, with
cool effrontery, the corporal sat in the place of honour beside
Tryphena, and regaled her with narratives of warfare, to which she had
listened many times already. Ben and Serlizer were still full of one
another's society. He had comforted her heart, if it needed any
comforting, over the condition of her father, whom he and Timotheus had
treated so cavalierly, and urged her not to go home any more, but to
come and help the old woman. With a bad example before her at home, and
very far from improving ones at the Select Encampment, Serlizer was yet,
though not too cultivated, an honest steady girl, and was pleased to
learn that Ben had really turned over a new leaf. She gave her
sweetheart to understand that she had kept her own money, not being such
a fool as to let the old man get his hands on it, and that it was safe
in the bundle she had brought from the boarding-house, whereupon Ben
said she had better put that bundle away in a safe place, for you
couldn't tell what kind of characters might be about. Mr. Maguffin heard
these words, and, taking them to himself, waxed indignant.
"Ef yoh'se diloodin' ter this pressum comperny, Mistah Tonah, I wants
ter say I takes the sponsability ob these young ladies on my shouldahs,
sah, the shouldahs ob Mortimah Magrudah Maguffin, sah. Foh what remains
ober ob the mascline paht ob it, I ain't no call foh ter spress mysef.
It kin speak foh itsef."
The corporal glowered, and smote the table with his fist.
"Pardon my indignation, Miss Hill! This creature, with no military or
other standing that I know of, calls me, a retired non-commissioned
officer of the British army, it. In India, where I served, I called such
things _chakar_ and _banda_, the very dust beneath my feet, Miss
Tryphena; and it was as much as their life was worth to call me less
than _sahib_. And, now that I have retired on a pension, with my medals
and clasps, and am an officer of the law, a black man, a _kali_,
presumes to _it_ me. I have known a _kali chakar_ killed, yes killed,
for less. 'Corporal,' said the commanding officer to me, 'Corporal
Rigby,' said he, many a time, 'order one of your men to call up that
black dog of mine!' I assure you he did, Miss Hill."
"I doan' take no erbuse ner nigger talk in this yere house, where I'm
takin' Timothis' place, an' where my bawss is mighty high ercount, no,
not fom consterbles nor no nuther white tresh. I didn't go foh ter call
Mistah Rigby _it_, Miss Tryphosy, I swan ter grashus I didn't. I
spressed the pinion as all the comperny as isn't ladies is it and so it
is it."
"Ef you go a ittin' of me Maguffin," struck in Ben, "I'm buzz sawed and
shingled of I don't hit you back fer what you're ma guvin us." Then he
opened up his mouth and laughed, and Serlizer laughed, and the Hill
girls. Even Maguffin displayed his ivories, and remarked: "Mistah Tonah,
foh a gennelman what ain't trabbled none, yoh'se mighty smaht."
"Oh, Serlizer," said Ben, "we don't go traavellin' much; we ain't like
the rollin' stones as don't gaythyer no mawss."
"When the cunnel and me was ridin' ter Tronter, laast Sat'day,"
continued Mr. Maguffin, "the cunnel he began egspashuatin' on the things
he see. 'That there mawss' says he, 'at Hogg's Holler, minds me ob two
coloured men was habin' a counterbessy on they bawsses. Says one of the
gennelmen, "My bawss," (the cunnel says massa, but that's a name I doan'
take to) "my bawss says he ain't like yoh bawss, trabellin' around all
the time and gatherin' no mawss." "No," said the other coloured
gennelman, "but my bawss gathers what yoh bawss want mighty bad, and
that's a heap ob polish."'"
"For polish," remarked Constable Rigby, turning to Tryphena, "for
polish, Miss Hill, commend me to an English army officer."
"My bawss," said Maguffin, "is an officer and a gennelman, and yoh
cayn't beat him foh polish nohow."
"There are no officers and no soldiers in America," replied the
pensioner.
"Oh, Mr. Rigby," interrupted Tryphosa, "I remember reading in my history
that the American soldiers beat the British army many times in the
Revolutionary War."
"Flim-flam. Miss Tryphosa Hill, garbled reports! The British army never
has been beaten, never can be beaten. I belonged to the British army,
Miss Hill, I beg pardon, Miss Tryphosa, and know what I assert from
experience."
"Le'ss stop this jaw and have a game o' keerds," suggested Serlizer.
Ben seconded his lady love's proposal, and thought a game of euchre
would pass away the time. The constable said euchre was no game. There
was only one game at cards, and that was whist. The man or woman who
could not play whist was uneducated. Sarah Eliza professed a preference
for High, Low, Jack, and the Game; any saphead could play that. She
wasn't a saphead herself, but there might be some about. Maguffin
regretted that in the Baktis pussuasion cards were not allowed; and the
Hill girls had distinctly promised their mother to play no games of
chance. As, however, none of the parties owned a pack of cards, nor knew
where to find one, further controversy on the subject was useless.
Tryphosa, looking intelligent, left the room, and speedily returned with
a little cardboard box in her hand, labelled Countries, Cities,
Mountains, and Rivers, with which Timotheus had once presented her. She
said it was an improving game, and that all could play it. The shuffling
and dealing, of course, presented an almost unavoidable chance element,
but, apart from that, the game was a matter of science, of geographical
knowledge. Now the Hill girls were educated, as Mr. Rigby said; and he,
having travelled far as a soldier, was not deficient in geographical
lore; but what about the other three?
"Oh!" ejaculated Miss Newcome, "at them there keerds, I guess we jist
are sapheads. Ain't that so, Ben?"
Ben said "I guaiss"; and Mr. Maguffin added: "joggrify, entermoligy,
swinetax, and paucity was teached me, but I done clar forgit how they
run, it's so long sence."
It was, therefore, agreed to play a triangular game, the pair having the
most books to be winners, and have the right to shuffle and deal for the
following trial of skill. The contending pairs were the pensioner and
Serlizer, Ben and Tryphosa, Maguffin and Tryphena, partners were allowed
to help each other. While the British Islands, Turkey, Russia, and India
were being played, Rigby and Miss Newcome were triumphant, but when it
came to any other part of the world, especially to America, with the
exception of Canada, where Serlizer scored her one victory, that pair
was helpless. Maguffin acquired a book by his own unaided wisdom, that
of the Southern United States; otherwise Tryphena inspired him. Ben had
an unavailing contest with Miss Newcome over Canada, and saw her make up
the book and slam it on the table with mingled feelings of pride in her,
and mortification for his own want of success. But, as he said, Tryphosa
was "a daisy and parlyzed the hull gang." Laurel after laurel she took
from the brow of the travelled pensioner; she swooped down upon Tryphena
and Maguffin, and robbed them of books wholesale, till Mr. Toner
remarked that she had "quayte a libery"; in her hands the strapping
Serlizer was helpless as a child. Magnanimously, she allowed Ben to
shuffle and Serlizer to cut, then Ben again to deal.
The second game was more exciting. Mr. Maguffin, naturally quick and
possessing a memory cultivated by closely following the prelections of
his coloured Baptist religious instructors, rapidly seized the hitherto
unknown combinations, and astonished Tryphena with his bold independence
of action. The constable's mind worked more conservatively, as became
his rank and profession, and Serlizer was worse than useless to him,
but, by chance, they had magnificent hands. He piled up India in quick
marching time, as he hummed "The British Grenadiers," and accompanied it
with a drum beat of his right foot on the floor. Calcutta, Bombay, and
Madras, Indus, Ganges, and Godavery, Himalayas, Ghauts, and Vindhyas,
lay captured at his right hand. Ben won Ireland from him, but he
annexed England, Scotland, and Turkey. Once more Serlizer took Canada,
and, owing to Mr. Toner's imperfect shuffling, laid complete books of
Egypt, Australia, and Brazil upon the table. The stars fought against
Tryphena and Tryphosa, and, in spite of Mr. Maguffin's gallant struggle
against fate, the pensioner took the honours. Then Miss Newcome favoured
him with a friendly kick under the table, accompanied by the elegant
expression: "Bully for you, old man!" Next, the victorious damsel
shuffled, allowed Tryphena to cut, and dealt out the cards for the third
game. This time the deal was fair, and Mr. Rigby, glancing over his
partner's capacious hand, beheld there no prospect of continued good
fortune. Tryphena was on her mettle as a geographer, and Maguffin had
stowed away in his all-embracing memory the names of half the globe's
prominent features in city, river, and mountain. He wrested half India
and all Russia from the pensioner, captured the whole of the United
States, Canada, Mexico, and various states of South America. Almost the
entire continent of Europe succumbed to Tryphena. Tryphosa fought
doggedly, and encouraged Ben to continue the unequal contest, but the
constable and Serlizer yielded up card after card with the muteness of
despair. Mr. Maguffin was transported with joy, when his partner counted
up their united books, amounting to more than those of both the other
pairs put together.
"I'se larned moah joggrify this heah bressid night nor I'd git in six
mumfs er schoolin'. Hit makes me feel kind er smaht all ober, but not
smaht enough foh ter ekal you, Miss Trypheeny, ner yoh pah. Ain't he
jest a smaht man, foolin' me on Typernosties and Gasternickle, words I
nevah knowed afoah, yah! yah! yah!"
A new game was in progress, when a tap came to the inside door, and,
immediately thereafter, a figure in a dressing gown appeared, partly
thrust into the half-opened entrance. "Do you know Tryphena," said a
pretty voice, "that it is very late, long past midnight, and you two
girls have to be up by six o'clock at the latest! Take Sarah with you,
and go to bed. Toner, you know Timotheus' room, and had better get some
rest, which I am sure you need." As the four parties addressed somewhat
sheepishly departed, Mrs. Carmichael turned to the remaining card
players, who were standing, corporal Rigby at military attention, and
said, with a somewhat tremulous accent: "There's a large fire out in the
Lake Settlement direction, but I cannot bear to awaken Mr. Carruthers or
the other two gentlemen, for he is very tired, and they are much older
and require rest also. Perhaps, Maguffin, you will be kind enough to
saddle a horse quietly, and find out where it is and see that my father
and Mr. Coristine are safe."
"I'se ony too pleased ter obey yoh commandemens, marm, wif percision an'
dispatches," answered the coloured gentleman, hasting stablewards.
"As constable, ma'am, if I may be allowed to speak," said Corporal
Rigby, saluting for the second time, "as constable, it is my duty to be
present at all township fires, for the purpose of keeping order and
directing operations. I shall, therefore, with your permission, ma'am,
respectfully take my leave."
"It is a long way, constable, and you and I are not so young as we once
were--"
"Pardon an old soldier's interruption, ma'am, but you are as young as
ever you were, the youngest married lady I know."
"Thank you, corporal! What I meant to say was that you had better get
Maguffin to saddle a horse for you, as the distance is great."
"You are very good, ma'am, but I never served in the cavalry. I belonged
to Her Majesty's Foot Guards, ma'am, and could not possibly insult the
memory of my old comrades lying in Crimean graves, by putting the legs,
that a merciful Providence furnished me to march with, across the back
of a horse. Had I even served in the Artillery or in the Engineers, I
might have been able to comply with your kind request. Being what I have
been, I must proceed without delay to the seat of the conflagration. I
have the honour, ma'am, of saluting you. Good night!"
So Maguffin quietly escaped from the stables, and rode rapidly towards
the fire, which shed its lurid light far over the clouded sky; and the
pensioner trudged after him on foot, with his official baton under his
arm, to make that conflagration acquainted with the law.