The New Forest Spy Part 12

"Come, old fellow, wake up," said Waller. "I have been up two hours."

"Up two hours! I--there's nothing wrong, is there?"

"Wrong? No. You are always thinking some one's coming after you. It's all right."

"But I don't understand," said G.o.dfrey.

"Why, you don't mean to say you've forgotten all about last night?"

"Last night!" cried the lad, with a start.

"Oh, I had forgotten. No; I was not quite awake. You have been up early to go and get that rope."

Waller pointed to the big, old easy chair.

"Does seem like it, doesn't it? There it is, all soaked with dew. I soon got it down, and I have been busy over the bed. You had trampled it terribly, and there were two great bits of ivy snapped off as well and lying there. I've made it pretty tidy, and there has been such a heavy due that your footprints on the gra.s.s, and those of Joe Hanson, going round the house, are pretty well taken out. They'll be all right now, I think."

"Oh, thank you," cried G.o.dfrey, with a sigh; "but now, I suppose, I must give up all hope of going into the woods with you again."

"Nonsense! I only want you to wait till it's sensible to go."

"Ah!" cried G.o.dfrey. "I like to hear you talk so. Do you know, I was dreaming this morning about what you said the other day."

"What was that?"

"About getting me down to Lymington, and on board a fis.h.i.+ng-boat."

"And so I will."

"Thank you. Then we will start to-night."

"That we won't!" cried Waller. "Stuff! Nonsense! I hear from our gardener that there are soldiers going about from place to place in the forest, and as likely as not we should run right up against them, for they would be sure to be keeping watch at night. You wait a bit, and as soon as I think it's safe, and we have made all our plans, we will go.

But don't you be in such a hurry. You are company for me, and I am sure my father wouldn't mind your staying on a while to get strong. I want to hear that the soldiers are gone, and then you will be like a visitor, and we will have a good time of it in the woods, fis.h.i.+ng, and collecting, and one thing and another."

"No," said the lad sadly; "England is no place for me. I must get back to France."

"You wait till you get better," said Waller, "and you will talk differently."

"Oh, but I am putting you in such a false position. Your servants will be finding out that you have got me hidden here."

"They'd better!" cried Waller hotly. "What business is it of theirs? I am only answerable to my father."

"And what will he say to you when he knows what you have done?"

"What will he say?" cried Waller enthusiastically. "He'll say--he'll say--I don't know what," and the boy stopped short.

Another day elapsed, and Waller was chatting eagerly with his prisoner, and planning with him that they should steal out as soon as it was dusk, and go and have a ramble in the woods.

"But it will be dark," said Boyne wearily.

"There," cried Waller, "you are speaking as dumpily as you did when we first met. That means that you ought to be out in the fresh air. Of course it will be dark. No, it won't, because there will be some moon to-night; and if it were dark it wouldn't matter. There's always something to hear, with the creatures in the forest hunting--owls, and stoats, and all sorts of night things. Why, I can find my way anywhere nearly in the forest of a night. You don't know what fun it is till you get out there. I have been out with Bunny Wrigg sometimes when he has been setting night-lines in the old hammer pond, and catching big eels, and sometimes wild ducks, and--Pst! Someone coming!"

"Master Waller, are you upstairs?" came from below; and the boy pressed his finger on his lips and took a little saw from where it was hanging against the wall, put it down noisily, and picked up a hammer from where it lay upon a bench-like table.

The next moment he was tapping a box softly, as if he were driving in a nail, while the uncarpeted stairs leading to the attic creaked, and the light step of the girl was heard coming towards the door.

Next moment she was knocking sharply.

"Master Waller! Master Waller!" she cried excitedly. "You must come down directly; you are wanted."

"Eh?" cried the boy. "Who wants me?"

"There's Tony Gusset, sir, Martha's brother, and he's come along with six soldiers."

Waller sprang from his seat, striking the table a heavy blow with the hammer in his excitement as he rose, while his companion, who had followed the example, took a couple of steps towards the open dormer window, and stood there with his lips pinched together and hands clenched.

"What do they want?" cried Waller sharply, as he caught his companion by the wrist.

"They are coming to search the house, sir."

"What?" shouted Waller hoa.r.s.ely.

"Coming to hunt for spies, sir."

Waller drew a deep breath as if pulling himself together to face the desperate position, and his companion looked at him wonderingly as he called out, in a voice full of a.s.sumed bravado:

"Oh, are they! I will come down to see about that!"

"Yes, sir, do, please. Martha's in such a way, and she's quarrelling with her brother awful."

"Go on down!" cried Waller, and he gave the table a heavy thump with his hammer before listening to the girl's descending steps, and breathing hard as if he had been running the while.

As the girl's steps died out he faced round to look in the fugitive's eyes. There was a faint smile on the lad's lips as he caught Waller's hand and gripped it fast.

"Thank you," he said very calmly. "It's all over, Waller--brother Waller. There, I am going to meet it like a man."

"What!" said Waller, in a hoa.r.s.e whisper, as if he thought their words might be heard through the open window. "What are you going to do?"

"Surrender," was the reply, "and take care that you come to no harm for harbouring me here."

Waller laughed mockingly, as he s.n.a.t.c.hed away his hand and clapped it and its fellow upon the other's shoulders.

"You've been too long in France," he whispered. "An English boy would not give up like that. Never say die!"

"What do you mean?" panted the other, startled by Waller's earnestness.

"To dodge these bloodhounds, as you call them, and give them the slip; and as for old b.u.mpy Gusset, this is his doing, because he's got a spite against father, and if you and I don't serve him out for it, my name's not Waller Froy. Pst!" he whispered, with his lips close to the other's ear. "Don't make a rustle nor a sound," he continued, after whispering for a few moments, "and never stir. I'll send them about their business, never fear."

Short as was the time that this interchange of words had taken, it was too long, for loud, hoa.r.s.e voices were heard as of men a.s.sembling in the hall, and, giving his companion an encouraging slap upon the back, Waller dashed out of the room, banged to the door, locked it, and thrust the key into his pocket, keeping his hand there as he carelessly made for the staircase, descended to the gallery, and the next minute was looking over the broad bal.u.s.trade down into the hall, where a couple of soldiers stood, with grounded muskets, staring through the dining-room door, while another was in the porch on guard, and voices came from out of the room.