The Children of the New Forest by Frederick Marryat (best contemporary novels TXT) 📖

this induced him to advance very carefully, for he had not brought his gun with him. He crouched down as he came to the opening before the cottage. The doors and windows were open, and there were two men sitting outside, cleaning their guns; and in one of them Humphrey recognized the man Corbould, who had been discharged by the intendant as soon as his wound had been cured, and who was supposed to have gone to London. Humphrey was too far off to hear what they said; he remained there some time, and three more men came out of the cottage. Satisfied with what he had seen, Humphrey cautiously retreated, and, gaining the outside of the thicket, led away Billy and the cart over the turf, that the noise of the wheels might not be heard.

"This bodes no good," thought Humphrey as he went along, every now and then looking back to ascertain if the men had come out and seen him. "That Corbould we know has vowed vengeance against Edward, and all of us; and has, no doubt, joined those robbers—for robbers they must be—that he may fulfill his vow. It is fortunate that I have made the discovery and I will send over immediately to the intendant." As soon as a clump of trees had shut out the thicket, and he had no longer any fear of being seen by these people, Humphrey went in the direction which the robber had mentioned, and soon afterward he perceived the oak scathed with lightning, which stood by itself on a green spot of about twenty acres. It had been a noble tree before it had been destroyed; now it spread its long naked arms, covering a large space of ground, but without the least sign of vegetation or life remaining. The trunk was many feet in diameter, and was apparently quite sound, although the tree was dead. Humphrey left Billy to feed on the herbage close by, and then, from the position of the sun in the heavens, ascertained the point at which he was to dig. First looking around him to see that he was not overlooked, he took his spade and pick-ax out of the cart and begun his task. There was a spot not quite so green as the rest, which Humphrey thought likely to be the very place that he should dig at, as probably it was not green from the soil having been removed. He commenced at this spot, and, after a few moments' labor, his pick-ax struck upon something hard, which, on clearing away the earth, he discovered to be a wooden lid of a box. Satisfied that he was right, Humphrey now worked hard, and in a few minutes he had cleared away sufficiently to be able to lift out the box and place it on the turf. He was about to examine it, when he perceived, at about five hundred yards' distance, three men coming toward him. "They have discovered me," thought Humphrey; "and I must be off as soon as I can." He ran to Billy, who was close to him, and bringing the cart to where the box lay, he lifted it in. As he was getting in himself, with the reins in his hands, he perceived that the three men were running toward him as fast as they could, and that they all had guns in their hands. They were not more than a hundred and fifty yards from him when Humphrey set off, putting Billy to a full trot.

The three men, observing this, called out to Humphrey to stop, or they would fire; but Humphrey's only reply was giving a lash to Billy, which set him off at a gallop. The men immediately fired, and the bullets whistled past Humphrey without doing any harm. Humphrey looked round, and finding that he had increased his distance, pulled up the pony, and went at a more moderate pace. "You'll not catch me," thought Humphrey; "and your guns are not loaded, so I'll tantalize you a little." He made Billy walk, and turned round to see what the men were about; they had arrived at where he had dug out the box, and were standing round the hole, evidently aware that it was no use following him. "Now," thought Humphrey as he went along at a faster pace, "those fellows will wonder what I have been digging up. The villains little think that I know where to find them, and they have proved what they are by firing at me. Now, what must I do? They may follow me to the cottage, for I have no doubt that they know where we live, and that Edward is at the intendant's. They may come and attack us, and I dare not leave the cottage tonight, or send Pablo away, in case they should; but I will tomorrow morning." Humphrey considered, as he went along, all the circumstances and probabilities, and decided that he would act as he at first proposed to himself. In an hour he was at the cottage; and as soon as Alice had given him his dinner—for he was later than the usual dinner hour—he told her what had taken place.

"Where is Pablo?"

"He has been working in the garden with Edith all the day," replied
Alice.

"Well, dear, I hope they will not come tonight: tomorrow I will have them all in custody; but if they do come, we must do our best to beat them off. It is fortunate that Edward left the guns and pistols which he found in Clara's cottage, as we shall have no want of firearms; and we can barricade the doors and windows, so that they can not get in in a hurry; but I must have Pablo to help me, for there is no time to be lost."

"But can not I help you, Humphrey?" said Alice. "Surely I can do something?"

"We will see, Alice; but I think I can do without you. We have still plenty of daylight. I will take the box into your room."

Humphrey, who had only taken the box out of the cart and carried it within the threshold of the door, now took it into his sisters' bedroom, and then went out and called Pablo, who came running to him.

"Pablo," said Humphrey, "we must bring to the cottage some of the large pieces we sawed out for rafters; for I should not be surprised if the cottage were attacked this night." He then told Pablo what had taken place. "You see, Pablo, I dare not send to the intendant to-night, in case the robbers should come here."

"No, not send to-night," said Pablo; "stay here and fight them; first make door fast, then cut hole to fire through."

"Yes, that was my idea. You don't mind fighting them, Pablo?"

"No; fight hard for Missy Alice and Missy Edith," said Pablo; "fight for you too, Massa Humphrey, and fight for myself," added Pablo, laughing.

They then went for the pieces of squared timber, brought them from the saw-pit to the cottage, and very soon fitted them to the doors and windows, so as to prevent several men, with using all their strength, from forcing them open.

"That will do," said Humphrey; "and now get me the small saw, Pablo, and I will cut a hole or two to fire through."

It was dark before they had finished, and then they made all fast, and went to Pablo's room for the arms, which they got ready for service, and loaded.

"Now we are all ready, Alice, so let us have our supper," said Humphrey. "We will make a fight for it, and they shall not get in so easily as they think."

After they had had their supper, Humphrey said the prayers, and told his sisters to go to bed.

"Yes, Humphrey, we will go to bed, but we will not undress, for if they come, I must be up to help you. I can load a gun, you know, and Edith can take them to you as fast as I load them. Won't you, Edith?"

"Yes, I will bring you the guns, Humphrey, and you shall shoot them," replied Edith.

Humphrey kissed his sisters, and they went to their room. He then put a light in the chimney, that he might not have to get one in case the robbers came, and then desired Pablo to go and lie down on his bed, as he intended to do the same. Humphrey remained awake till past three o'clock in the morning, but no robbers came. Pablo was snoring loud, and at last Humphrey fell asleep himself, and did not wake till broad daylight. He got up, and found Alice and Edith were already in the sitting-room, lighting the fire.

"I would not wake you, Humphrey, as you had been sitting up so long. The robbers have not made their appearance, that is clear; shall we unbar the door and window-shutters now?"

"Yes, I think we may. Here, Pablo!"

"Yes," replied Pablo, coming out half asleep; "what the matter? thief come?"

"No," replied Edith, "thief not come, but sun shine, and lazy Pablo not get up."

"Up now, Missy Edith."

"Yes, but not awake yet."

"Yes, Missy Edith, quite awake."

"Well, then, help me to undo the door, Pablo."

They took down the barricades, and Humphrey opened the door cautiously, and looked out.

"They won't come now, at all events, I should think," observed Humphrey; "but there is no saying—they may be prowling about, and may think it easier to get in during daytime than at night. Go out, Pablo, and look about every where; take a pistol with you, and fire it off if there is any danger, and then come back as fast as you can."

Pablo took the pistol, and then Humphrey went out of the door and looked well round in front of the cottage, but he would not leave the door till he was assured that no one was there. Pablo returned soon after, saying that he had looked round every where, and into the cow-house and yard, and there was nobody to be seen. This satisfied Humphrey, and they returned to the cottage.

"Now, Pablo, get your breakfast, while I write the letter to the intendant," said Humphrey; "and then you must saddle Billy, and go over to him as fast as you can with the letter. You can tell him all I have not said in it. I shall expect you back at night, and some people with you."

"I see," said Pablo, who immediately busied himself with some cold meat which Alice put before him. Pablo had finished his breakfast and brought Billy to the door, before Humphrey had finished his letter. As soon as it was written and folded, Pablo set off, as fast as Billy could go, to the other side of the forest.

Humphrey continued on the look-out during the whole day, with his gun on his arm, and his two dogs by his side; for he knew the dogs would give notice of the approach of any one, long before he might see them; but nothing occurred during the whole day; and when the evening closed in he barricaded the doors and windows, and remained on the watch with the dogs, waiting for the coming of the robbers, or for the arrival of the party which he expected would be sent by the intendant to take the robbers. Just as it was dark, Pablo returned with a note from Edward, saying that he would be over, and at the cottage by ten o'clock, with a large party.

Humphrey had said in his letter, that it would be better that any force sent by the intendant should not arrive till after dark, as the robbers might be near and perceive them, and then they might escape; he did not therefore expect them to come till some time after dark. Humphrey was reading a book—Pablo was dozing in the chimney corner—the two girls had retired into their room and had lain down on the bed in their clothes, when the dogs both gave a low growl.

"Somebody come," said Pablo, starting up.

Again the dogs growled, and Humphrey made a sign to Pablo to hold his tongue. A short time of anxious silence succeeded, for it was impossible to ascertain whether the parties were friends or enemies. The dogs now sprung up and barked furiously at the door, and as soon as Humphrey had silenced them, a voice was heard outside, begging for admission to a poor benighted traveler. This was sufficient; it could not be the party from the intendant's, but the robbers who wished to induce them to open the door. Pablo put a gun into Humphrey's