the man Job, and all the other inn servants had been greatly put about by the events of the last half hour. As the worst seemed over, they had ventured into the public room and stood listening with much attention to what was being said. The landlady at length took courage; at first this found expression in low-voiced but acid comments upon the proceedings; but when the officer turned to his men and gave orders that the prisoners be removed, she broke out:

“It is a disgrace and a shame, sir, that an[119] inn that has been respected for forty years must be invaded this way, and its guests carried off like common thieves.”

[119]

The officer favored her with no very friendly look.

“Perhaps if your inn had not been respected for so long, mistress,” said he, “things would be in a better way for us all. As for these,” and he pointed to George and Herbert Camp, “perhaps common thieves would be far less dangerous to the public good.”

“How dare you hint that I would harbor such!” stormed Mistress Trout. “How dare you, sir! Oh, things have come to a pretty pass, indeed, when honest people must submit to insult from a parcel of upstarts!”

“Hard words, landlady!” said the officer sternly. “You had better put them in your pocket, for you are not so trusted as to be greatly in favor. You are known to have given house-room to plotting king’s men these many weeks back; indeed, there’s not been such another nest of rascals in all the country round about—and that’s saying a great deal.”

The angular Mistress Trout was about to reply, and Herbert Camp and Peggy were[120] being led from the room, when George Prentiss suddenly slipped the belt from his arms. Like a flash he whipped up the four loaded muskets and hurled them through a window at the back; and with a bound he reached the door leading to the hall, flung aside the two soldiers who had charge of Peggy and her brother, slapped the door in their faces, slipped a bolt into place and went racing down the hall. He drew the girl along with him, and young Camp was hard at his heels.

[120]

In the light of the inn’s outside lamp he drew his hanger, of which they had not deprived him, and slashed Herbert’s bonds away.

“The horses!” he breathed; “it’s our only chance.”

He had counted upon the horses of the remaining troopers being still 

 Prev. P 55/155 next