The New Forest Spy Part 22

"That's right, sir," said Bunny. "I brought you some things as will make you look like a fisher-lad when I have done with you. Can you slip them on in the dark?"

"Oh, yes, of course he can," cried Waller. "I will help him."

"The sooner the better, then, sir," whispered the man, and, busying himself with the knots in a great cotton handkerchief, he soon shook out a big, broad, canvas petticoat, such as the fishers use, sewed right up the middle so as to give it the semblance of a clumsy pair of trousers.

G.o.dfrey winced a little as he handled the stiff garment; but it was for liberty, and he soon had the canvas b.u.t.toned on.

"You had better take off that jacket, sir. I can't see it, but I can feel as it don't look a bit like a fisher-boy's things. That's your sort! Now then, Master Waller, pull that there jersey over his head.

That's the way. There, now, he feels like a regular sailor-lad. Here's a sou'-wester, too. It's rather an old un, but none the worse for that.

There you are. Now then, I have got a bit of a pot here. You hold your hands, and I'll fish out a dob of it with my knife. Then you give it a good rub round with your hands so as to go all over them, and then you can gorm them well over your face. Don't be afraid of it, sir.

It'll make you look every bit a sailor, and won't wash off in a month."

G.o.dfrey drew in his breath with a hiss.

"Why, what is it, Bunny?" said Waller.

"Real good pitch, sir, same as they pays over the bottoms of their boats."

"Oh, but surely that isn't necessary," cried Waller angrily.

"He's right," said G.o.dfrey, as he began to rub the sticky brown produce of the fir well over his hands and face. "It's the best disguise I could a.s.sume."

"Hist!" said Waller. "Didn't I hear something?"

Bunny turned to the window, looked out cautiously, and drew in his head again.

"They've come," he whispered. "Now sir, can't you get us down to the back door, so that we can slip away at once?"

"No," said Waller excitedly. "We should have to cross the hall, and they'd be there."

"I'm all right," said Bunny. "I can slip down easier than I got up.

What about this here young gentleman? He won't find it so easy with that there canvas on."

"No," cried Waller. "He couldn't get down. I don't believe I could.

What in the world are we to do?"

"Ar'n't got a bit of rope, I suppose, sir?" whispered Bunny.

"Yes, of course. I'd forgotten."

"Strong un?"

"The new one I got for the fis.h.i.+ng-net," said Waller.

"That'll do it. Now then, let me look out while you get it. You make it fast to the big window-bar while I just try and see what they are doing. I want to make sure that they all go in and leave the way clear for us to slide down. Once we can get to the woods we shall be all right."

"Make sure," whispered Waller, "that they don't leave a sentry by the porch."

Bunny grunted, and as silently as he could Waller took his coil of rope from the drawer, fastened it again to the beam, and, as soon as the man drew in his head, prepared to lower it down.

"It's all right, my lad. Be quick. Some of them has gone round to the back, and your gal Bella has just let t'others in by the front door.

Here, I'll go down first to see if the rope's safe, and ready to knock over any of them sojers if he tries to stop us. The young gent had better come next, and you last. You'll have to leave the rope to get back after you have seen us a bit on the way. But hold hard a minute.

How long is that rope?"

"About thirty yards," said Waller.

"Here, let me get at it," said Bunny, and, rapidly unfastening it, he ran it through his hands till he could put the two ends together to get its measurement, and then, pa.s.sing an end on either side of the upright division of the window, he lowered it down till the bight came in contact with the upright bar. "There you are;" he whispered; "twice as strong; and when we are all down I can haul on one end and bring it after us to hide it somewheres in the wood so as it shan't give you away."

"Capital!" whispered Waller, hurrying to the window, thrusting out his head, and listening, to find all still. "No one there," he whispered again, "so down with you."

Bunny gave a grunt, took hold of the rope, and as he was squeezing himself out to stand with his feet in the gutter. Waller caught hold of his friend's hand, gave it a grip, and then crept to the door, turned the key softly, opened it and listened there, to hear the murmur of voices down in the hall.

He turned the key again and darted back to the window, to feel the rope quivering for a few moments and then slacken.

Bunny was at the bottom.

"Now can I help you?" whispered Waller.

"No," was the reply. "I can manage." But Waller's heart beat fast and a strange choking sensation seemed to rise in his breast as the boy, hampered by his stiff petticoat-trousers, had no little difficulty in getting clear of the window.

The next minute he was letting himself glide down, rustling loudly through the ivy.

Waller waited, leaning half out of the window and gazing down till he was satisfied that his companion was nearly at the bottom, when he hurried back to the door, unlocked it and withdrew the key, and then, opening, he felt for the hole and thrust the key in on the outer side.

"There," he muttered; "when they come up here, they won't suspect me."

It was his turn now, and, full of activity, he crept out of the window and stood for a moment amongst the ivy in the gutter, and then began to slide so quickly down the double rope that his hands were ready to burn.

As he touched the soft earth he felt Bunny thrust him aside and take hold of one end of the rope.

"You haul steadily," he whispered; and as the lad drew on the rope the big country fellow laid it in rings at his feet. "Mind your head," he whispered, "when t'other end falls."

But Waller was on his guard, and as the end glided round the upright of the window-frame and came rustling down through the ivy, it just touched the lad's protecting arm, and that was all.

"I'll hide this here somewhere, where I can find it again," whispered Bunny. "You won't want to go in again that way when there's the doors."

As the last ring was formed of the rope and caught up by the rough gipsy-looking fellow, they stood listening to the sound of voices, which came loudly from within, two of those present recognising the husky, throaty speech of the village constable, and Waller set it down to questioning as to where he was.

Directly after, at a word from Bunny, they stepped off the bed on to the soft turf, just as there was the rattle of a lock, the big door was thrown open, and a bright bar of light flashed across the lawn, while _clump, clump_, came the heavy footsteps of a couple of the soldiers marching through the porch.

To go on seemed to Waller like courting danger; to stand still suggested the certainty of being seen; and giving G.o.dfrey a thrust, he pressed onward, risking all, and following Bunny, who was hurrying in the direction of the forest.

Over and over again Waller felt certain that they must be seen by the two men, whom he could make out as he glanced back, standing against the light that came through the porch, and he could hardly believe in their good fortune, as neither shout nor shot was sent in their direction, while a few minutes later they were threading their way amongst the trees.

CHAPTER TWENTY ONE.

THE ESCAPE.