The Children of the New Forest

by Frederick Marryat

  CHAPTER XX.

  The summer had now advanced, when Oswald one day said to Edward,

  "Have you heard the news, sir?"

  "Nothing very particular," replied Edward; "I know that GeneralCromwell is over in Ireland, and they say very successful; but I havecared little for particulars."

  "They say a great deal more, sir," replied Oswald; "they say that theking is in Scotland, and that the Scotch have raised an army for him."

  "Indeed!" replied Edward, "that is news indeed! The intendant has nevermentioned it to me."

  "I dare say not, sir; for he knows your feelings, and would sorry topart with you."

  "I will certainly speak to him on the subject," said Edward, at the"risk of his displeasure; and join the army I will, if I find what yousay is true. I should hold myself a craven to remain here while theking is fighting for his own, and not to be at his side."

  "Well, sir, I think it is true, for I heard that the Parliament hadsent over for General Cromwell to leave Ireland, and lead the troopsagainst the Scotch army."

  "You drive me mad, Oswald! I will go to the intendant immediately!"

  Edward, much excited by the intelligence, went into the room where heusually sat with the intendant. The latter, who was at his desk, lookedup, and saw how flushed Edward was, and said very quietly,

  "Edward, you are excited, I presume, from hearing the news which hasarrived?"

  "Yes, sir, I am very much so; and I regret very much that I should bethe last to whom such important news is made known."

  "It is, as you say, important news," replied the intendant; "but if youwill sit down, we will talk a little upon the subject."

  Edward took a chair, and the intendant said,

  "I have no doubt that your present feeling is to go to Scotland, andjoin the army without delay."

  "Such is my intention, I candidly confess, sir. It is my duty."

  "Perhaps you may be persuaded to the contrary before we part," repliedthe intendant. "The first duty you owe is to your family in theirpresent position; they depend upon you; and a false step on your partwould be their ruin. How can you leave them, and leave my employ,without it being known for what purpose you are gone? It is impossible!I must myself make it known, and even then it would be very injuriousto me, the very circumstance of my having one of your party in myservice. I am suspected by many already, in consequence of the part Ihave taken against the murder of the late king, and also of the lordswho have since suffered. But, Edward, I did not communicate thisintelligence to you for many reasons. I knew that it would soon come toyour ears, and I thought it better that I should be more prepared toshow you that you may do yourself and me harm, and can do no good tothe king. I will now show you that I do put confidence in you; and ifyou will read these letters, they will prove to you that I am correctin what I assert."

  The intendant handed three letters to Edward, by which it was evidentthat all the king's friends in England were of opinion that the timewas not ripe for the attempt, and that it would be only a sacrifice tostir in the matter; that the Scotch army raised was composed of thosewho were the greatest enemies to the king, and that the best thing thatcould happen for the king's interest would be that they were destroyedby Cromwell; that it was impossible for the English adherents ofCharles to join them, and that the Scotch did not wish them so to do.

  "You are no politician, Edward," said the intendant, smiling, as Edwardlaid the letters down on the table. "You must admit that, in showingyou these letters, I have put the utmost confidence in you."

  "You have, indeed, sir; and, thanking you for having so done, I needhardly add that your confidence will never be betrayed."

  "That I am sure of; and I trust you will now agree with me and myfriends that the best thing is to remain quiet."

  "Certainly, sir, and in future I will be guided by you."

  "That is all I require of you; and, after that promise, you shall hearall the news as soon as it arrives. There are thousands who are just asanxious to see the king on the throne again as you are, Edward--and younow know that I am one of them; but the hour is not yet come, and wemust bide our time. Depend upon it, General Cromwell will scatter thatarmy like chaff. He is on his march now. After what has passed betweenus this day, Edward, I shall talk unreserved to you on what is goingon."

  "I thank you, sir, and I promise you faithfully, as I said before, notonly to be guided by your advice, but to be most secret in all that youmay trust me with."

  "I have confidence in you, Edward Armitage; and now we will drop thesubject for the present; Patience and Clara want you to walk with them,so good-by for the present."

  Edward left the intendant, much pleased with the interview. Theintendant kept his word, and concealed nothing from Edward. All turnedout as the intendant had foretold. The Scotch army was cut to pieces byCromwell, and the king retreated to the Highlands; and Edward now feltsatisfied that he could do no better than be guided by the intendant inall his future undertakings.

  We must now pass over some time in a few words. Edward continued at theintendant's, and gave great satisfaction to Mr. Heatherstone. He passedhis time very agreeably, sometimes going out to shoot deer with Oswald,and often supplying venison to his brother and sisters at the cottage.During the autumn, Patience very often went to the cottage, andoccasionally Mr. Heatherstone paid them a visit; but after the winterset in, Edward came over by himself, shooting as he went; and when heand Smoker came to the cottage, Billy always had a journey to go forthe venison left in the forest. Patience sent Alice many little thingsfor the use of her and Edith, and some very good books for them toread; and Humphrey, during the evenings, read with his sisters, thatthey might learn what he could teach them. Pablo also learned to readand write. Humphrey and Pablo had worked at the saw-pit, and had sawedout a large quantity of boards and timber for building, but thebuilding was put off till the spring.

  The reader may recollect that Edward had proposed to Humphrey that heshould ascertain whether what the robber had stated before his deathrelative to his having concealed his ill-gotten wealth under the treewhich was struck by lightning was true. About ten days afterwardHumphrey set off on this expedition. He did not take Pablo with him,as, although he had a very good opinion of him, he agreed with Oswaldthat temptation should not be put in his way. Humphrey considered thatit would be the best plan to go at once to Clara's cottage, and fromthat proceed to find the oak-tree mentioned by the robber. When hearrived at the thicket which surrounded the cottage, it occurred to himthat he would just go through it and see if it was in the state whichthey had left it in; for after the intendant had been there, he hadgiven directions to his men to remain and bury the bodies, and then tolock up the doors of the cottage, and bring the keys to him, which hadbeen done. Humphrey tied Billy and the cart to a tree, and walkedthrough the thicket. As he approached the cottage he heard voices; thisinduced him to advance very carefully, for he had not brought his gunwith him. He crouched down as he came to the opening before thecottage. The doors and windows were open, and there were two mensitting outside, cleaning their guns; and in one of them Humphreyrecognized the man Corbould, who had been discharged by the intendantas soon as his wound had been cured, and who was supposed to have goneto London. Humphrey was too far off to hear what they said; he remainedthere some time, and three more men came out of the cottage. Satisfiedwith what he had seen, Humphrey cautiously retreated, and, gaining theoutside of the thicket, led away Billy and the cart over the turf, thatthe noise of the wheels might not be heard.

  "This bodes no good," thought Humphrey as he went along, every now andthen looking back to ascertain if the men had come out and seen him."That Corbould we know has vowed vengeance against Edward, and all ofus; and has, no doubt, joined those robbers--for robbers they mustbe--that he may fulfill his vow. It is fortunate that I have made thediscovery and I will send over immediately to the intendant." As soonas a clump of trees had shut out the thicket, and he had no longer anyfear of being seen by these people, H
umphrey went in the directionwhich the robber had mentioned, and soon afterward he perceived the oakscathed with lightning, which stood by itself on a green spot of abouttwenty 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 trunkwas many feet in diameter, and was apparently quite sound, although thetree was dead. Humphrey left Billy to feed on the herbage close by, andthen, from the position of the sun in the heavens, ascertained thepoint at which he was to dig. First looking around him to see that hewas not overlooked, he took his spade and pick-ax out of the cart andbegun his task. There was a spot not quite so green as the rest, whichHumphrey thought likely to be the very place that he should dig at, asprobably it was not green from the soil having been removed. Hecommenced at this spot, and, after a few moments' labor, his pick-axstruck upon something hard, which, on clearing away the earth, hediscovered 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 awaysufficiently 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 hundredyards' distance, three men coming toward him. "They have discoveredme," thought Humphrey; "and I must be off as soon as I can." He ran toBilly, who was close to him, and bringing the cart to where the boxlay, he lifted it in. As he was getting in himself, with the reins inhis hands, he perceived that the three men were running toward him asfast as they could, and that they all had guns in their hands. Theywere not more than a hundred and fifty yards from him when Humphrey setoff, putting Billy to a full trot.

  The three men, observing this, called out to Humphrey to stop, or theywould fire; but Humphrey's only reply was giving a lash to Billy, whichset him off at a gallop. The men immediately fired, and the bulletswhistled past Humphrey without doing any harm. Humphrey looked round,and finding that he had increased his distance, pulled up the pony, andwent 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 madeBilly walk, and turned round to see what the men were about; they hadarrived at where he had dug out the box, and were standing round thehole, evidently aware that it was no use following him. "Now," thoughtHumphrey as he went along at a faster pace, "those fellows will wonderwhat I have been digging up. The villains little think that I knowwhere 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 nodoubt that they know where we live, and that Edward is at theintendant's. They may come and attack us, and I dare not leave thecottage tonight, or send Pablo away, in case they should; but I willtomorrow morning." Humphrey considered, as he went along, all thecircumstances and probabilities, and decided that he would act as he atfirst proposed to himself. In an hour he was at the cottage; and assoon as Alice had given him his dinner--for he was later than the usualdinner hour--he told her what had taken place.

  "Where is Pablo?"

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

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

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

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

  Humphrey, who had only taken the box out of the cart and carried itwithin 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 largepieces we sawed out for rafters; for I should not be surprised if thecottage were attacked this night." He then told Pablo what had takenplace. "You see, Pablo, I dare not send to the intendant to-night, incase the robbers should come here."

  "No, not send to-night," said Pablo; "stay here and fight them; firstmake 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; "fightfor you too, Massa Humphrey, and fight for myself," added Pablo,laughing.

  They then went for the pieces of squared timber, brought them from thesaw-pit to the cottage, and very soon fitted them to the doors andwindows, 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, andwent 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," saidHumphrey. "We will make a fight for it, and they shall not get in soeasily as they think."

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

  "Yes, Humphrey, we will go to bed, but we will not undress, for if theycome, I must be up to help you. I can load a gun, you know, and Edithcan 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 alight in the chimney, that he might not have to get one in case therobbers came, and then desired Pablo to go and lie down on his bed, ashe intended to do the same. Humphrey remained awake till past threeo'clock in the morning, but no robbers came. Pablo was snoring loud,and at last Humphrey fell asleep himself, and did not wake till broaddaylight. He got up, and found Alice and Edith were already in thesitting-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 weunbar the door and window-shutters now?"

  "Yes, I think we may. Here, Pablo!"

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

  "No," replied Edith, "thief not come, but sun shine, and lazy Pablo notget 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," observedHumphrey; "but there is no saying--they may be prowling about, and maythink 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 ifthere is any danger, and then come back as fast as you can."

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

  "Now, Pablo, get your breakfast, while I write the letter to theintendant," said Humphrey; "and then you must saddle Billy, and go overto him as fast as you can with the letter. You can tell him all I havenot said in it. I shall expect you back at night, and some people withyou."

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

  Humphrey continued on the look-out during the whole day, with his
gunon his arm, and his two dogs by his side; for he knew the dogs wouldgive notice of the approach of any one, long before he might see them;but nothing occurred during the whole day; and when the evening closedin he barricaded the doors and windows, and remained on the watch withthe dogs, waiting for the coming of the robbers, or for the arrival ofthe party which he expected would be sent by the intendant to take therobbers. 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 alarge party.

  Humphrey had said in his letter, that it would be better that any forcesent by the intendant should not arrive till after dark, as the robbersmight be near and perceive them, and then they might escape; he did nottherefore expect them to come till some time after dark. Humphrey wasreading a book--Pablo was dozing in the chimney corner--the two girlshad retired into their room and had lain down on the bed in theirclothes, 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 histongue. A short time of anxious silence succeeded, for it wasimpossible to ascertain whether the parties were friends or enemies.The dogs now sprung up and barked furiously at the door, and as soon asHumphrey had silenced them, a voice was heard outside, begging foradmission to a poor benighted traveler. This was sufficient; it couldnot be the party from the intendant's, but the robbers who wished toinduce them to open the door. Pablo put a gun into Humphrey's hand, andtook another for himself; he then removed the light into the chimney,and on the application from outside being repeated, Humphrey answered,

  "That he never opened the door at that hour of the night, and that itwas useless their remaining."

  No answer or repetition of the request was made, but, as Humphreyretreated with Pablo into the fireplace, a gun was fired into the lockof the door, which was blown off into the room, and, had it not beenfor the barricades, the doors must have flown open. The robbersappeared surprised at such not being the case, and one of them insertedhis arm into the hole made in the door, to ascertain what might be thefurther obstacle to open it, when Pablo slipped past Humphrey, andgaining the door, discharged his gun under the arm which had beenthrust into the hole in the door. The party, whoever it might havebeen, gave a loud cry, and fell at the threshold outside.

  "I think that will do," said Humphrey: "we must not take more life thanis necessary. I had rather that you had fired through his arm--it wouldhave disabled him, and that would have sufficed."

  "Kill much better," said Pablo. "Corbould shot through leg, come againto rob; suppose shot dead, never rob more."

  The dogs now flew to the back of the cottage, evidently pointing outthat the robbers were attempting that side. Humphrey put his gunthrough the hole in the door, and discharged it.

  "Why you do that, Massa Humphrey? nobody there!"

  "I know that, Pablo; but if the people are coming from the intendant's,they will see the flash and perhaps hear the report, and it will letthem know what is going on."

  "There is another gun loaded, Humphrey," said Alice, who with Edith hadjoined them without Humphrey observing it.

  "Thanks, love; but you and Edith must not remain here; sit down on thehearth, and then you will be sheltered from any bullet which they mayfire into the house. I have no fear of their getting in, and we shallhave help directly, I have no doubt. Pablo, I shall fire through theback door; they must be there, for the dogs have their noses under it,and are so violent. Do you fire another gun, as a signal, through thehole in the front door."

  Humphrey stood within four feet of the back door, and fired just abovewhere the dogs held their noses and barked. Pablo discharged his gun asdirected, and then returned to reload the guns. The dogs were now morequiet, and it appeared as if the robbers had retreated from the backdoor. Pablo blew out the light, which had been put more in the centerof the room when Alice and Edith took possession of the fireplace.

  "No fear, Missy Edith, I know where find every thing," said Pablo, whonow went and peered through the hole in the front door, to see if therobbers were coming to it again; but he could see and hear nothing forsome time.

  At last the attack was renewed; the dogs flew backward and forward,sometimes to one door and then to another, as if both were to beassailed; and at the same time a crash in Alice's bedchamber told themthat the robbers had burst in the small window in that room, whichHumphrey had not paid any attention to, as it was so small that a mancould hardly introduce his body through it. Humphrey immediately calledHoldfast and opened the door of the room, for he thought that a manforcing his way in would be driven back or held by the dog, and he andPablo dared not leave the two doors. Watch, the other dog, followedHoldfast into the bedroom; and oaths and curses, mingled with thesavage yells of the dogs, told them that a conflict was going on. Bothdoors were now battered with heavy pieces of timber at the same time,and Pablo said,

  "Great many robbers here."

  A moment or more had passed, during which Pablo and Humphrey had bothagain fired their guns through the door, when, of a sudden, othersounds were heard--shots were fired outside, loud cries, and angryoaths and exclamations.

  "The intendant's people are come," said Humphrey, "I am sure of it."

  Shortly afterward Humphrey heard his name called by Edward, and hereplied, and went to the door and undid the barricades.

  "Get a light, Alice, dear," said Humphrey, "we are all safe now. I willopen the door directly, Edward, but in the dark I can not see thefastenings."

  "Are you all safe, Humphrey?"

  "Yes, all safe, Edward. Wait till Alice brings a light,"

  Alice soon brought one, and then the door was unfastened. Edwardstepped over the body of a man which lay at the threshold, saying--

  "You have settled somebody there, at all events," and then caught Edithand Alice in his arms.

  He was followed by Oswald and some other men, leading in the prisoners.

  "Bind that fellow fast, Oswald," said Edward. "Get another light,Pablo; let us see who it is that lies outside the door."

  "First see who is in my bedroom, Edward," said Alice, "for the dogs arestill there."

  "In your bedroom, dearest? Well, then, let us go there first."

  Edward went in with Humphrey, and found a man half in the window andhalf out, held by the throat and apparently suffocated by the two dogs.He took the dogs off; and desiring the men to secure the robber, andascertain whether he was alive or not, he returned to the sitting-room,and then went to examine the body outside the door.

  "Corbould, as I live!" cried Oswald.

  "Yes," replied Edward, "he has gone to his account. God forgive him!"

  On inquiry they found, that of all the robbers, to the number of ten,not one had escaped--eight they had made prisoners, Corbould, and theman whom the dogs had seized, and who was found to be quite dead, madeup the number. The robbers were all bound and guarded; and then,leaving them under the charge of Oswald and five of his men, Edward andHumphrey set off with seven more to Clara's cottage, to ascertain ifthere were any more to be found there. They arrived by two o'clock inthe morning, and, on knocking several times, the door was opened andthey seized another man, the only one who was found in it. They thenwent back to the cottage with their prisoner, and by the time that theyhad arrived it was daylight. As soon as the party sent by the intendanthad been supplied with a breakfast, Edward bade farewell to Humphreyand his sisters, that he might return and deliver up his prisoners.Pablo went with him to bring back the cart which carried the two deadbodies. This capture cleared the forest of the robbers which had solong infested it, for they never had any more attempts made from thattime.

  Before Edward left, Humphrey and he examined the box which Humphrey haddug up from under the oak, and which had occasioned such danger to theinmates of the cottage; for one of the men stated to Edward that theysuspected that the box which they had seen Humphrey dig out containedtreasure, and that without they had seen him in possession o
f it, theynever should have attacked the cottage, although Corbould had oftenpersuaded them so to do; but as they knew that he was only seekingrevenge--and they required money to stimulate them--they had refused,as they considered that there was nothing to be obtained in the cottageworth the risk, as they knew that the inmates had firearms, and woulddefend themselves. On examination of its contents, they found in thebox a sum of 40 pounds in gold, a bag of silver, and some othervaluables in silver spoons, candlesticks, and ornaments for women.Edward took a list of the contents, and when he returned he stated tothe intendant all that had occurred, and requested to know what shouldbe done with the money and other articles which Humphrey had found.

  "I wish you had said nothing to me about it," said the intendant,"although I am pleased with your open and fair dealing. I can not sayany thing, except that you had better let Humphrey keep it till it isclaimed--which, of course, it never will be. But, Edward, Humphrey mustcome over here and make his deposition, as I must report the capture ofthese robbers, and send them to trial. You had better go with the clerkand take the depositions of Pablo and your sisters, while Humphreycomes here. You can stay till his return. Their depositions are not ofso much consequence as Humphrey's, as they can only speak as to theattack, but Humphrey's I must take down myself."

  When Patience and Clara heard that Edward was going over, they obtainedleave to go with him to see Alice and Edith, and were to be escortedback by Humphrey. This the intendant consented to, and they had a verymerry party. Humphrey remained two days at the intendant's house, andthen returned to the cottage, where Edward had taken his place duringhis absence.