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Updated: May 8, 2025
It was a time of terrible suspense, probably only of a minute's duration, but it seemed to Hilary like an hour; and there he lay, with half-closed eyes, gazing at the head so dimly-seen, wondering whether it was Allstone, but unable to make out. Just then a thought flashed through his brain.
"He's going to help him get away," cried Allstone, who was mad with passion. "Yes, that's it, boys," said the man laughing, "that's why I caught him and kept him till you came up, and that's why I'm going to tie his arms. Here, give me the rope." He snatched the cord from Allstone's hands, and turned to Hilary. "Hold up your arms, my lad, and I won't hurt you.
"Must have been," said the other, as Hilary drank in this information too, and made mental vows about how he would pay the scoundrels out for all this when once he got free. Then there was a cessation of the feet coming down the stairs, broken by one step that Hilary seemed to recognise. "How are you getting on?" Hilary was right; it was Allstone. "Waiting for more," was the reply.
As they went back by a short cut through the wood, and one which brought them into a narrow lane, Allstone once found an opportunity to maliciously kick his prisoner, as if by accident; but Hilary's friend saw the act, and took care that he did not again approach too near; and, after what seemed a weary walk, the little party crossed the moat of the handsome old place.
The man dropped the nets, and taking up his candle, which he had placed upon a chest, followed Allstone back along the narrow passage between the piled-up tubs and packages, and once more Hilary was left in comparative darkness, to lie there dripping with perspiration, and hesitating as to what he should do next, for if he stayed where he was, it was probable that the men would come back to remove the nets.
"Look here, Master Allstone," he cried, shaking a finger at him; "one of these days I shall come here with a dozen or two of our brave boys, and if I don't have you flogged till you beg my pardon for all this, my name is not Hilary Leigh."
"Well, this is being made a prisoner, and no mistake. Hallo, handsome!" he cried aloud, as the forbidding-looking man addressed by Sir Henry as Allstone entered the place with another looking little more amiable, and both were bringing something in the shape of food. "What?" said the man surlily. "I said `Hallo, handsome!" cried Hilary. "Have you come to let me out?"
Five to one was too much for resistance, so Hilary submitted patiently to the search that was made, to see if he had it concealed beneath his clothes. "There's nothing here," said one of the men; and Allstone tried himself, flinching sharply as the prisoner made believe to strike at him.
"Ahoy! this way. Here he is!" The man made a rush down the ravine, and the young officer's heart felt as if released from some tremendous pressure, for he had nerved himself for a tremendous struggle, and the danger had passed. A minute later there was a sudden outburst of voices and a roar of laughter, after which Hilary fancied he could hear Allstone shouting and angrily abusing the men.
"I sha'n't take all the blame." "The lad's burned to death through your clumsiness," continued Allstone. "And a whole keg of the strongest brandy wasted," said another dolefully. "The place nearly burned down too," said another. "Here, go in somebody," cried Allstone. "Perhaps he isn't quite dead, and I suppose we must save him if we can. Do you hear? Go in some of you."
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