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Updated: May 8, 2025
"Must have done so," said Allstone; "there isn't a place anywhere big enough to hide a knife." "Then some one's been by this morning and picked it up," said one of the men, "for it don't seem to be anywhere here." "Turn over that long grass," said Allstone, "and kick those weeds aside."
The man went out, but Allstone still waited, and at last the man came back with a bundle of sheets and blankets, which he threw upon the bed. "There," said Allstone, "that will do;" and seeing the man out, he darted a surly look at Hilary, and then followed and banged the door. "Thank you," said Hilary, laughing.
"You've got him, then?" he cried. "Oh, yes," said Hilary's captor coolly. "It only wanted time." "I thought we should get him again!" shouted Allstone, grinning in the captive's face. "Here's that cutlass, too. He's a liar, this fellow. He said he had thrown it out of the window." "So I did, idiot!" cried Hilary indignantly. "But I tied a string to it to pull it back when I wanted it."
"I sha'n't come," said Hilary to himself; "you'll only lock me up somewhere else, and now I have found out as much as I have, perhaps I shall be better off where I am." "There'll be a pretty noise about this when Sir Henry comes back," cried a voice, which Hilary recognised as that of the ill-looking fellow Allstone. "You clumsy fool, dropping that keg!" "It was as much you as me," cried another.
The men burst out into a hearty laugh at the idea, as much as at someone calling Allstone, who had bullied them a good deal, an idiot. The man glanced at him savagely, and Hilary read in his eye so much promise of a hard time that he determined to make one more effort for his liberty, and this he did. "Who's got a bit o' cord?" said Allstone. "Oh, here, I have.
"They'll bring up another cart directly," said Allstone in his sulky tone of voice. "Sooner the better. I'm 'bout tired out. Fine lot o' rats here," said the man. "Ah, yes! There's a few," said Allstone. "Heard 'em scuffling about like fun over the other side," said the man.
"Yes, when I've got you in a safer place," was the reply. "Here, come along, you two. No; one of you fetch a rope." This was to his followers, one of whom was limping, and the other bleeding from a cut in the face caused by his fall. "Will you let go?" cried Hilary hoarsely, but fast regaining his breath. "There, it's no use for you to struggle, my boy," said Allstone. "Murder! Here! Help!"
"You're not dead, are you, Sir Henry?" said Allstone gruffly; and Hilary could not help, even then, feeling annoyed as he raised himself upon one elbow, but only to give place to other thoughts as he saw Adela kneeling there in speechless agony, holding her father's head in her lap. Poor girl!
Hilary was led into the great kitchen, and then up-stairs, past flight after flight, to a room at the top with a strongly-bound door. Into this place he was thrust, and Allstone was about to leave him as he was; but the friendly smuggler stepped forward, and began to unfasten the bonds. "Never mind that," cried Allstone; "let him stay bound."
Before an hour had passed he awoke; but he was so drowsy that he threw himself upon the mattress, and falling asleep directly he did not awaken till early the next morning. No escape that day, and as he had to make up his mind to this, he waited until Allstone came with a rough breakfast, when he made a peremptory demand for some means of washing and making himself more presentable.
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