_The March ended.--A lonely Inn.--Evil Faces.--Beetling
Brows.--Sinister Glances.--Suspicions of the Party.--They put
their Head together.--Conferences of the Party.--A threatening
Prospect.--Barricades.--In Time of Peace prepare for War.--The
Garrison arm themselves._
After completing their arrangements they resumed their journey;
but this time they all went on foot, with the exception of Uncle
Moses. They went on foot for two reasons: first, because it was
impossible for the horses to pull them all when one of the wheels
was gone, since it was as much as they could do to maintain a
walking pace even with the empty carriage; and the other reason
was, that by walking they would be better able to fight off the
drowsiness which had menaced them. In truth, as far as drowsiness
is concerned, there did not now seem to be any particular danger;
for the shock of the break-down had been sufficient to rouse even
Bob, and the effects of that shock still remained. Uncle Moses,
however, on account of his years, his infirmities, and his tendency
to "rheumatics," together with his freedom from drowsiness, was
installed in the carriage, with all due honors, as its sole occupant.
Walking on thus, they did not regret, in the slightest degree, the
hardships of their lot, but rather exulted in them, since they had
been the means of rousing them out of their almost unconquerable
tendency to sleep. Frank felt the highest possible relief, since
he was now freed from the responsibility that had of late been so
heavy. In Bob, however, there was the exhibition of the greatest
liveliness. Bob, mercurial, volatile, nonsensical, mobile, was ever
running to extremes; and as he was the first to fall asleep, so
now, when he had awaked, he was the most wide awake of all. He
sang, he shouted, he laughed, he danced, he ran; he seemed, in
fact, overflowing with animal spirits.
Fortunately they were not very far from the end of the marshes when
the wheel broke, and in less than two hours they had traversed the
remainder. The driver could speak a little English, and informed
them that they could not reach the destination which he had proposed;
but he hoped before dark to get as far as an inn, where they could
obtain food and lodging. He informed them that it was not a very
good inn; but under the circumstances it was the best that they
could hope for. To the boys, however, it made very little difference
what sort of an inn they came to. As long as they could get
something to eat, and any kind of a bed to lie on, they were content;
and so they told the driver.
Leaving the marshes, the road began to ascend; and after about a
half hour's farther tramp, they came, to a place which the driver
informed them was the inn.
It was by no means an inviting place. It was an old stone edifice,
two stories high, which had once been covered with, stucco; but
the stucco had fallen off in most places, disclosing the rough
stones underneath, and giving it an air of dilapidation and squalor.
The front was by the road-side. A door opened in the middle, on
each side of which was a small, dismal window. In the second story
were two other small, dismal windows. At the end they law a window
on each story, and a third in the attic. These were all small and
dismal. Some of them had sashes and glass; others had sashes
without glass; while others had no sashes at all.
A group of men were outside the house, all of whom stared hard
at the carriage as it drew near. There was something in the
aspect of these men which was indescribably repulsive to the
boys: their dirty, swarthy faces, covered with shaggy, jet-black
beards; their bushy eyebrows, from beneath which their black eyes
glowed like balls of fire; their hats slouched down over their
brows; their lounging attitudes, and their furtive glances; all
these combined to give them an evil aspect--a wicked, sinister,
suspicious appearance, by which all the boys were equally impressed.
They said nothing, however; and much as they disliked the look
of the place and its surroundings, they saw that there was no
help for it, and so they made up their minds to pass the night
here as well as they could.
Leaving the carriage, they waited a few moments to ask the driver
about the prospects for the next day. The driver had everything
arranged. Velletre was only five miles away, and he was going to
send there for another carriage, or go himself. They would all be
able to leave early on the following day.
This reassured them somewhat, and though they all would have been
willing to walk to Velletre, rather than pass the night here, yet
Uncle Moses would not be able to do it, and so they had to make up
their minds to stay.
On entering the house, they found the interior quite in keeping
with the exterior. The hall was narrow, and on either side were
two dirty rooms, in which were some frowsy women. One room seemed
to be a kitchen, and the other a sitting-room. A rickety stairway
led up to the second story. Here they came to a room, which, they
were informed, was to be theirs. The door was fragile, and without
any fastening. The room was a large one, containing a table and
three beds, with one small wash-stand. Two windows looked out in
front, and at either end was one. At the south end the window had
no sash at all, but was open to the air.
The aspect of the room was certainly rather cheerless, but there
was nothing to be done. So they sat down, and waited as patiently
as they could for dinner. Before it came, the sun set, and a feeble
lamp was brought in, which flickered in the draughts of air, and
scarcely lighted the room at all.
The dinner was but a meagre repast. There was some very thin soup,
then a stew, then macaroni. There were also bread and sour wine.
However, the boys did not complain. They had footed it so far, and
had worked so hard, that they were all as hungry as hunters; and
so the dinner gave as great satisfaction as if it had been far
better. While they were eating, an evil-faced, low-browed villain
waited on the table; and as he placed down each dish in succession,
he looked round upon the company with a scowl that would have taken
away the appetites of any guests less hungry than these. But these
were too near starvation to be affected by mere scowls, and so they
ate on, reserving their remarks for a future occasion.
So the dinner passed.
And after the dinner was over, and the dishes were removed, and
they found themselves alone, they all looked round stealthily, and
they all put their heads together, and then,--
"I don't like this," said Frank.
do. said Clive.
do. said David.
do. said Bob.
"I don't feel altogether comfortable here," said Uncle Moses.
"Did you notice that scowl?" said Bob.
do. said Clive.
do. said David.
do. said Frank.
"He's the ugliest creetur I ever see," said Uncle Moses. "I've been
expectin somethin o' this sort."
The boys looked all around, for fear of being observed. Frank got
up and closed the rickety door. Then he resumed his seat.
Then they all put their heads together again.
"This is a bad place," said Frank.
do. said Clive.
do. said David.
do. said Bob.
"It's the onwholesomedest lookin place I ever see," said
Uncle Moses.
"I distrust them all," said Clive.
do. said. Frank,
do. said David.
do. said Bob.
"I don't like the looks of that ere driver," said Uncle Hoses. "I
b'leve he contrived that there break-down a purpose, so as to bring
us to this here den."
Uncle Moses' remark sank deep into the minds of all. Who was the
driver, after all? That break-down was certainly suspicious. It
might have been all pre-arranged. It looked suspicions. Then the
men below. There were so many of them!
"There are a dozen of them," said Bob.
do. said Frank.
do. said David.
do. said Clive.
"Thar's too big a gatherin here altogether," said Uncle Moses, "an
it's my idee that they've come for no good. Didn't you notice how
they stared at us with them wicked-looking eyes o' theirs?"
"I wish we'd gone on," said David.
do. said Bob.
do. said Clive.
do. said Frank.
"Yes, boys, that's what we'd ort to hev done," said Uncle Moses.
"Why didn't some on ye think of it?"
"We did; but we thought you'd be too tired," said Frank.
"Tired? tired?" exclaimed Uncle Moses. "Tired? What! me tired!
_me!_" And he paused, overcome with amazement. "Why, boys, ye must
all be ravin distracted! _Me_ tired! Why, I'm as fresh as a cricket;
an though rayther oldish, yet I've got more clear muscle, narve,
and sinnoo, than all on ye put together."
At this little outburst' the boys said nothing, but regretted that
they had not, at least, proposed going on.
"We're in a fix," said Clive.
do. said Bob.
do. said Frank.
do. said David.
"We're in a tight place, sure," said Uncle Moses.
"There's no help near," said Frank.
do. said David.
do. said Bob.
do. said Clive.
"It's the lonesomest place I ever see," said Uncle Moses.
"It's too dark to leave now," said David.
do. said Clive.
do. said Bob.
do. said Frank.
"Yes, and they'd all be arter us afore we'd taken twelve steps,"
said Uncle Moses.
"They're the worst sort of brigands," said Bob.
do. said Frank.
do. said David.
do. said Clive.
"Yes, reg'lar bloodthirsty miscreants," said Uncle Moses.
"The door has no lock," said Frank.
do. said David.
do. said Bob.
do. said Clive.
"O, yes, it's a reg'lar trap, an we're in for it, sure," said Uncle
Moses. "I only hope we'll get out of it."
"That window's open, too," said David,
do. said Frank.
do. said Clive.
do. said Bob.
"Yes, an thar ain't even a sash in it," said Uncle Moses; "no, nor
even a board to put agin it!"
"They'll come to-night," said Clive.
do. said Frank.
do. said Bob.
do. said David.
"No doubt in that thar," said Uncle Moses, in lugubrious tones;
"an we've got to prepar ourselves."
"What shall we do?" said Frank.
do. said Bob.
do. said Clive.
do. said David.
"The pint now is," said Uncle Moses,--"the pint now is, what air
we to do under the succumstances? That's what it is."
At this Frank rose and opened the rickety door.
He looked out.
He closed it again.
Then he went to each of the windows in succession.
He looked out of each.
Then he resumed his seat.
"Wal?" asked Uncle Moses, in an inquiring tone.
"There's no one to be seen," said Frank; "but I thought I heard
voices, or rather whispers, just under the end window."
There was a solemn silence now, and they all sat looking at one
another with very earnest faces.
"It's a solemn time, boys," said Uncle Moses, "a deeply
solemn time."
To this the boys made no reply, but by their silence signified
their assent to Uncle Moses' remark.
At length, after a silence of some time, Frank spoke.
"I think we can manage something," said he, "to keep them out for
the night. My idea is, to put the largest bedstead against the
door. It opens inside; if the bedstead is against it, it can't be
opened."
"But the windows," said Clive.
"O, we needn't bother about the windows, they're too high up," said
Frank, confidently.
And now they all set themselves fairly to work making preparations
for the night, which preparations consisted in making a barricade
which should offer resistance to the assaults of the bloody-minded,
murderous, beetle-browed, scowling, and diabolical brigands below,
Frank's suggestion about the bed was acted upon first. One of the
bedsteads was large, ponderous, old-fashioned, and seemed capable,
if placed against a doorway, of withstanding anything less than a
cannon ball. This they all seized, and lifting it bodily from the
ground, they placed it hard and fast against the door. The result
was gratifying in the highest degree to all of them.
They now proceeded to inspect the room, to search out any weak
spots, so as to guard against invasion. As to the windows, they
thought that their height from the ground was of itself sufficient
to remove all danger in that quarter.
But in their search around the room they noticed one very alarming
thing. At the south corner there was a step-ladder, which led up
into the attic, thus affording an easy entrance to any one who
might be above. Frank rushed up to the step-ladder and shook it.
To his great relief, it was loose, and not secured by any fixtures.
They all took this in their hands, and though it was very heavy,
yet they succeeded in taking it down from its place without making
any noise. They then laid it upon the floor, immediately underneath
the opening into the attic. They would have felt, perhaps, a trifle
more secure if they had been able to close up the dark opening
above; but the removal of the step-ladder seemed sufficient, and
in so doing they felt that they had cut off all means of approach
from any possible enemy in that quarter.
Frank drew a long breath of relief as he looked around. He felt
that nothing more could be done. All the others looked around with
equal complacency, and to the apprehensions which they had been
entertaining there now succeeded a delicious sense of security.
"We're safe at last," said Clive.
do. said Bob.
do. said David.
do. said Frank.
"Yes, boys," said Uncle Moses, "we're jest as safe now as if we
were to hum. We can defy a hull army of them bloody-minded miscreants,
fight them off all right, and by mornin there'll be lots of wagons
passin by, an we can git help. But before we go, let's see what
weepins we can skear up in case o' need. It's allus best to have
things handy."
"Well," said Frank, "I'm sorry to say I've got nothing but a knife;"
and saying this, he displayed an ordinary jackknife, not particularly
large, and not particularly sharp. "It isn't much," said he, as he
opened it, and flourished it in the air, "but it's something."
"Well," said Clive, "I haven't got even a knife; but I've heard
that there's nothing equal to a chair, if you want to disconcert
a burglar; and so I'll take this, and knock down the first brigand
that shows his nose;" and as he said this, he lifted a chair from
the floor, and swung it in the air.
"I rely on the barricades," said David, "and don't see the necessity
of any arms; for I don't see how we're going to be attacked. If we
are, I suppose I can use my knife, like Frank."
"Well," said Bob, "I've given my knife away, and I'll have to take
a chair."
"Wal," said Uncle Moses, "I've got a razor, an it's pooty ugly
weepin in the hands of a savage man--a desprit ugly weepin."
"And now let's go to bed," said David,
do. said Bob.
do. said Clive.
do. said Frank.
"Yes, boys, that's about the best thing we can do," said Uncle
Moses, decisively.