George Manville Fenn

“ Deeper and deeper into the forest, which grew more and more dense, till, breaking away from its level, it suddenly began to descend in a stiff slope, which rose as steeply fifty yards farther on, forming in all a wandering, tangled little valley, at the bottom of which trickled and gurgled a tiny river some few yards wide, flashing brightly in places where the sun passed through the overhanging trees, but for the most part darkly hidden, and only to be approached with some little difficulty and at the risk of being caught and held by one of the briars’ hundred hands. ”

“ Bother Joe Hanson! I want to think about that poor chap lying out there amongst the bracken. What a miserable, haggard scarecrow he did look, just like some poor beggarly tramp. But one could feel that he was a gentleman as soon as he began to speak. There; best way will be to take him boldly up to the front door and right up the stairs, and chance it. One never tries to play the sneak and get anywhere unseen without running bang up against somebody. ”

“ Bother!” he ejaculated. “I am master when father’s out, and I shall do as I like. Wish I could,” he grumbled, as he hurried along, not so fast as he wished, for his way was rough and tangled, and the jug of milk was very full, besides being an awkward thing to carry steadily where brambles continually crossed the path and the thorny strands of the dog-rose hung down from on high as if fishing for everyone who passed. “I should like to think about what to do,” mused Waller to himself, “but it only makes one so uncomfortable. ”

“ At last a sharp order rang out in the kitchen, and though he could not see, Waller heard the men spring to their feet and march out into the yard, where he followed quickly, in time to see them take their piled muskets, while Joe Hanson, the gardener, who had been playing his part at the lunch with greater zeal than he bestowed upon his mowing or digging, busied himself with picking up the broken ladder, grinning across at Tony Gusset the while. ”

“ The lad who uttered those words dropped a short, stiff fishing-rod in amongst the bracken and furze, and made a dash in the direction of a sharp rustling sound to his right, ran as hard as he could, full-pelt, for about five-and-twenty yards, and then, catching his toe in a tough stem of heather, went headlong down into a tuft of closely-cropped furze—the delicate finer kind—which had been nibbled off year after year till it had assumed the form of a great green-and-gold cushion, beautiful to look at, but too pointed in its attentions to make a pleasant resting-place. ”

“ There was a faint rustle as, helped by the bend given to the upper part of the trunk, the rope left his hand and fell amongst the needle-covered boughs, and then, closing the window, the lad, panting more from excitement than exertion, crept to the door and listened till, making sure that he heard Waller’s step below, he rushed to the bed, dragged down the clothes, sprang in, drew them up to his chin, and then, with his face to the wall, lay with closed eyes, striving hard to subdue the heaving of his breast. ”

“ I say, what are you?”
“One of the spies, I suppose,” said the boy mockingly. “One of the poor unfortunate wretches you people are hunting through the woods.”
“Nonsense!” cried Waller. “You must be fancying all this. There are no soldiers here hunting people. Do you know where you are?”
“Yes; in the New Forest.”
“That’s right, and in the part my father holds the shooting over. But,” continued Waller, showing his white teeth, “he wouldn’t want to shoot you if he were at home; you are not fat enough. Pooh! Nobody would want to shoot a boy like you.” ”

“ He felt that there ought to be a fish there waiting for some big fat caterpillar or fly to drop from the leaves above; and his ugly lure had hardly touched the surface of the water before there was a loud smack, a disturbance as if a stone had been thrown in to fall without a splash, and a well-hooked trout was darting here and there at the end of the short line, making frantic struggles to escape. ”

“ Drawing in his head, he felt for—as it was getting very dark—one end of the thin rope, and then, mounting a stool, he passed the strong hempen twist over the beam, which just allowed room for it to pass, knotted the end, made a slip noose, drew it tight, and then, feeling for the other end of the coil, he began to run it out through the open dormer, listening with wild exultation to the passage of this narrow high-road to liberty over the rustling ivy. ”

“ The sergeant returned to Waller, who was standing in the middle of the room with his hands in his pockets, whistling an old country ditty softly, while the two soldiers made a pretence of searching the room, and then looked for orders from their officer.
“You haven’t looked up the chimney, my lads,” cried Waller, laughing. “Oh, you needn’t stare; there’s plenty of room in it for a horse to get up,” and he laughingly stepped forward into the wide chimney-corner. “Look here, officer, you don’t often see a place like this.”
“My word, no, sir!” ”

“ The next moment she had rushed out of the room, this time allowing the door to bang behind her, while Waller jumped up, staring hard at the partly closed bookcase door as if to read there the cause of the girl’s quick exit.
“She must have been watching at the keyhole,” he muttered to himself, for a guilty conscience needs no accuser, “and she’s gone to tell cook.”
But it was something quite different that Bella was telling her fellow-servant, after throwing herself down in one of the kitchen chairs and laughing hysterically till she cried and choked. ”

“ I wouldn’t have Waller think me ungrateful for the world. I can’t help liking him very much; but he’d think it silly if I told him I did. He won’t take me out to-night. He’d say again that it wasn’t safe while the soldiers were about; and I suppose he’s right. Oh, how miserable it is! I daren’t even look out of the window for fear of being seen by the servants or the gardener. Well, it will soon be dark, and then I can stare out at the stars. ”

“ The next minute Waller Froy had ceased to think, and thought no more till he opened his eyes upon the light of another bright autumn morning.
“Father said he would sleep upon it. What will he say to me when we meet?” And then another question flashed through his brain: “France isn’t so very far away; I wonder whether Godfrey Boyne and I will ever meet again?” ”

“ Meanwhile, without a thought of eating or drinking, Waller was still marching up and down the dining-room making up his mind what he should do; and, this made up, he waited impatiently for the maid’s return to finish her preparations, which were concluded by her bearing in a covered dish which evidently contained something hot and steaming, the vapour which escaped from beneath the cover having a very pleasant, savoury odour.
“There, Master Waller,” said the girl good-humouredly. “Now, do make a good tea, there’s a good boy, and you know what cook is; she don’t like to be put out. ”

“ From feeling startled, and in dread of his secret being known, a rapid change came over Waller; half-suspecting what must have occurred, and finding it covered by the girl’s superstitious notions, added to which there were the feathers, the sneezes, and the cook’s blessings upon his Majesty King George the Third, the boy’s risible faculties were so bestirred that he burst into a roar of laughter. ”

“ The thought of being at last in action sent a thrill through the lad’s breast, as if he had taken some powerful tonic, while, as if Nature was completely transforming him, he sprang up again, laying the cord upon the bed, and began to pace the sloping-ceiled room once more. ”

“ Bunny turned to the window, looked out cautiously, and drew in his head again.
“They’ve come,” he whispered. “Now sir, can’t you get us down to the back door, so that we can slip away at once?”
“No,” said Waller excitedly. “We should have to cross the hall, and they’d be there.”
“I’m all right,” said Bunny. “I can slip down easier than I got up. What about this here young gentleman? He won’t find it so easy with that there canvas on.”
“No,” cried Waller. “He couldn’t get down. I don’t believe I could. What in the world are we to do?”
“Ar’n’t got a bit of rope, I suppose, sir?” whispered Bunny. ”

“ Well, what do you want?”
“The young Squire said we were all to have lunch, and I have dragged myself here to have mine.”
“Dragged? Rolled, you mean!” cried his sister. “You grow more and more like a tub every day.”
“But tubs have to be filled, Martha, dear,” said the constable, with an attempt at a smile.
“Not in my kitchen if they do,” said Martha, with a snort; “and Master Waller never meant you to come in with the soldiers, so the sooner you go off back to the cottage the pleasanter it will be for you, for if I am put out I speak my mind, and I’m put out now so there!” ”

“ There was an attractive porch opening out upon the well-kept pleasaunce, but, instead of going straight to it, Waller looked sharply to right and left, saw nobody and heard nothing but a dull, distant thump, thump, and the barking of a dog from somewhere at the back.
The next minute he was through one of the dining-room casements, and crossed into the hall, where he stood listening for a moment or two to the thump, thump, which now sounded nearer.
“That’s Martha at her churn,” he muttered. “How stupid it seems! Anyone would think I was a thief.” ”

“ Don’t he speak up like a man!”
“Where are you going to begin, sergeant?”
“Thank you, sir, for the lunch,” said the sergeant, smiling; and he gave the lad another admiring look—one that took him in from top to toe, while his eyes seemed to speak the thoughts of his heart. “What a smart young officer he’d make! Shouldn’t I like the job of drilling him into shape!”
“Oh, we will begin at the bottom, sir, and search to the top.”
“But suppose there are Frenchmen here,” said Waller, laughing, “why, they might be getting away into the woods while you are talking!” ”

“ He looked round at a common-like portion of the New Forest over a slightly undulating stretch of velvety grass, bracken, heather and stunted oak-trees, which gave the place a park-like aspect, running right up to where the oaks were clustered thickly, with an occasional silvery or ruddy barked birch, and made dense with hazel-stubbs and alder. ”

“ Why, I always sleep with my eyes open. It’s a hundred pounds for ketching that spy, as they calls him; and as he was caught in my woods I say halves.”
“You don’t know what you are talking about,” cried Waller fiercely, blustering to hide the faint qualm he felt. “Spy! Hundred pounds! Halves! Here, you had better be off before you get into a row. Your woods, indeed! What next?”
“I d’know, and don’t want to. All I know is that they are wild, and as much mine as anybody else’s. Now then, what about them halves?”
“Look here, Bunny; what have you got in your head?”
“Hidees, Master Waller. ”

“ That there young Frenchy chap must be a good sort, or you wouldn’t have made him your friend. Why, I’d rather hear you call me a good fellow like you did just now, and think of me, being the young Squire, as your friend, than have all the weskits in the world. But I say, look here, Master Waller,” said Bunny thoughtfully, “I could hide that chap in one of my snuggeries; but what about the winter time?”
“What about the winter time?” said Waller, staring.
“Ay; when it’s always raining, or snow’s on the ground. ”

“ Pee-week!” came from below them in the shrubbery a little to their left.
“All right, Bunny,” whispered Waller. “I’ll come down.”
“Nay, lad; hold hard. I’m coming up.”
The darkness was so dense that, as the lads gazed down, they had but a mere glimpse of a shadowy animal, as it seemed to be running across the lawn, and directly after there was a faint, soft rustling in the thick ivy.
“Isn’t it dangerous for him?” whispered Godfrey.
“Not it. Bunny can climb like a cat. He’ll be right up in the big gutter directly.” ”

“ Why, I wouldn’t go and see a man shot nor hung for love or money! I only thought about that chap as being a spy as had come here to steal the crown; and it seemed to me, as you found him, that it’d be about fair if you and me went snacks with the reward. Look here, my lad, I’ll get my old weskit covered with a bit of heifer-skin, and as for the boots, why, they’ll do for another winter yet if I lay ’em up pretty thick with grease. Don’t you get waxy with me, Master Waller. I didn’t mean no harm. I wouldn’t hurt that poor chap, especially as you like him. ”

“ I am not going to tell a lie.”
“No, of course not,” said Waller hotly; “but you might hold your tongue, or tell any impudent beggar who dared to ask you questions, to mind his own business, if he didn’t want to be kicked.”
“Should you speak to the soldiers like that?” said Boyne, with a smile.
“Of course,” cried Waller. “What do I care for the soldiers?”
“Ah!” sighed the lad. “But never mind that. I am so grateful to you for all you have done.”
“Oh, nonsense!” cried Waller, flushing. “People are always hospitable in the country.” ”

“ Me go up there!”
“To be sure,” said the sergeant. “You country chaps are used to this sort of thing. My lads are not. Scaling ladders is more in our way, and they are bad enough when you have got to carry your Brown Bess.”
“To be sure,” said the gardener, chiming in, with a grin of satisfaction. “That’s right enough, sergeant. Up you go, Fatty!”
“You will get yourself into trouble, Joe Hanson,” said the constable pompously. “This here’s the second time I have warned you. You, sergeant—you know I can’t get up there at my time of life, and it’s your duty to send your men. ”

“ But though Waller Froy had so many yards of twisted silk upon his winch for the convenience of lowering and winding-in his bait, the tangle of bushes and overhanging boughs necessitated fishing with a tight line, with trust in its strength for the rapid hauling out of the prize. ”