AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Yes,” said I; “a sailor stopped us on the way.”
“Ah, I knew they were watching us. That was why I asked you to get outat the wrong station and to drive to Purcell’s instead of comin’ ‘ere.We are blockaded—that’s the word.”
“And there was another,” said I, “a man with a pipe.”
“What was ‘e like?”
“Thin face, freckles, a peaked——”
My uncle gave a hoarse scream.
“That’s ‘im! that’s ‘im! ‘e’s come! God be merciful to me, a sinner!” Hewent click-clacking about the room with his great foot like onedistracted. There was something piteous and baby-like in that big baldhead, and for the first time I felt a gush of pity for him.
“Come, uncle,” said I, “you are living in a civilized land. There is alaw that will bring these gentry to order. Let me drive over to thecounty police-station to-morrow morning and I’ll soon set things right.”
But he shook his head at me.
“E’s cunning and ‘e’s cruel,” said he. “I can’t draw a breath withoutthinking of him, cos ‘e buckled up three of my ribs. ‘E’ll kill me thistime, sure. There’s only one chance. We must leave what we ‘ave notpacked, and we must be off first thing to-morrow mornin’. Great God,what’s that!”
A tremendous knock upon the door had reverberated through the house andthen another and another. An iron fist seemed to be beating upon it. Myuncle collapsed into his chair. I seized a gun and ran to the door.
“Who’s there?” I shouted.
There was no answer.
I opened the shutter and looked out.
No one was there.
And then suddenly I saw that a long slip of paper was protruding throughthe slit of the door. I held it to the light. In rude but vigoroushandwriting the message ran:—
“Put them out on the doorstep and save your skin.”
“What do they want?” I asked, as I read him the message.
“What they’ll never ‘ave! No, by the Lord, never!” he cried, with a fineburst of spirit. “‘Ere, Enoch! Enoch!”
The old fellow came running to the call.
“Enoch, I’ve been a good master to you all my life, and it’s your turnnow. Will you take a risk for me?”
I thought better of my uncle when I saw how readily the man consented.Whomever else he had wronged, this one at least seemed to love him.
“Put your cloak on and your ‘at, Enoch, and out with you by the backdoor. You know the way across the moor to the Purcells’. Tell them thatI must ‘ave the cart first thing in the mornin’, and that Purcell mustcome with the shepherd as well. We must get clear of this or we aredone. First thing in the mornin’, Enoch, and ten pound for the job. Keepthe black cloak on and move slow, and they will never see you. We’llkeep the ‘ouse till you come back.”
It was a job for a brave man to venture out into the vague and invisibledangers of the fell, but the old servant took it as the most ordinary ofmessages. Picking his long, black cloak and his soft hat from the hookbehind the door, he was ready on the instant. We extinguished the smalllamp in the back passage, softly unbarred the back door, slipped himout, and barred it up again. Looking through the small hall window, Isaw his black garments merge instantly into the night.
“It is but a few hours before the light comes, nephew,” said my uncle,after he had tried all the bolts and bars. “You shall never regret thisnight’s work. If we come through safely it will be the making of you.Stand by me till mornin’, and I stand by you while there’s breath in mybody. The cart will be ‘ere by five. What isn’t ready we can afford toleave be’ind. We’ve only to load up and make for the early train atCongleton.”
“Will they let us pass?”
“In broad daylight they dare not stop us. There will be six of us, ifthey all come, and three guns. We can fight our way through. Where canthey get guns, common, wandering seamen? A pistol or two at the most. Ifwe can keep them out for a few hours we are safe. Enoch must be ‘alfwayto Purcell’s by now.”
“But what do these sailors want?” I repeated. “You say yourself that youwronged them.”
A look of mulish obstinacy came over his large, white face.
“Don’t ask questions, nephew, and just do what I ask you,” said he.“Enoch won’t come back. ‘E’ll just bide there and come with the cart.‘Ark, what is that?”
