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"Well, not so much of a whipper-snapper as Master Scarlett, sir; but you haven't got much muscle, you know." "Muscle enough to try." "Yes, sir," said the ex-gardener, thoughtfully; "but it isn't the muscle so much as the try. It's the thinking like and scheming.
They was prisoners the other day; now we're prisoners this day." "And Master Scarlett Markham, and your brother, and the other men?" "All here, sir. There's about a thousand of the enemy about, waiting, I suppose, to drop upon our side, if our side doesn't drop upon them. Fortune o' wars sir fortune o' war." Samson waited for Fred to speak again; but as he remained silent, the ex-gardener went on
"Hush, Nat. Look!" The ex-gardener sat up, round-eyed and as if turned into stone, while the clatter of horse's hoofs behind told that Sir Godfrey had set spurs to his horse, and was riding on to join them, which he did, drawing rein as they reached the cross-roads, an act duly imitated by the group of three horsemen coming up the lane from the opposite direction, and there at the intersection of the great main western road, the two little parties sat gazing at each other, accident having arranged that master, son, and servant from Hall and Manor should be exactly opposite to each other, gazing in each other's eyes.
"Well, Master Fred," said the ex-gardener, letting the reins rest on the horse's neck, as he involuntarily tightened his belt, "I did think better of you than to s'pose you'd laugh at other folk's troubles. Then there was the cider, too.
Fred was very pale as he stopped short suddenly and beckoned Samson to his side, the result being that the ex-gardener ran to his horse, was busy for a few moments with his haversack, and then returned to where his master was standing, looking a shy white now, and with the drops of agony standing upon his brow.
White & Co.'s was at his service, and she hoped he would take it without an hour's further delay, for that she was assured that many persons had risen to wealth and consideration in the colony from such situations. Then, as this wary but courteous young lady had no wish to enter into a correspondence with her ex-gardener, she added: "Mr. Seaton need not trouble himself to reply to this note.
"Silence, sir!" cried Fred, as he made a gesture as if to strike the ex-gardener a blow with the flat of his sword. "Shan't silence," said Nat. "You're not my master. Rebels can't be masters, and you daren't hit me now I'm tied up, much as you'd like to. Cowards, all of you!" "Beg pardon, captain," said Samson, "but may I untie his arms, sir, and have him down under the trees with our buffs off?
Fred made a few inquiries as to the state of affairs; learned that the camp was quite at rest, and that he was not likely to be called on duty, and then, with a terrible depression of spirits, increasing at every step, he walked on beside Samson on as dark a night as he could recall. "Dark, sir?" said the ex-gardener, in response to a remark.
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