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"Running away from that," roared Purlrose; "handful of powder rolled up in a bag and thrown at you! Down with it! they've got no more." "Yes, they have," whispered Dummy, excitedly. "Here, Master Mark, quick!"
"Bit o' the way down the path," was the reply. "Is it Captain Purlrose?" asked Mark. "Yah! No, not him. T'other enemy." "What enemy? Whom do you mean?" "Him you hate so. Young Ralph Darley." "Here?" cried Mark in astonishment. "Yes; I see him coming up, and was going to heave a big stone down on him, but he threw up his hands, and called out as he wanted you."
"Because I was thinking again how easy it would be if you and Sir Edward Eden were to join and attack that Captain Purlrose and his men. You would be able to drive the gang out of the neighbourhood." "I shall be able to drive this fellow out of the district, my boy, without the help of the Edens, who ought to be driven out too, for they are very little better than Captain Purlrose and his men.
Yours will be the way." "Well, I think it is right," said Mark suddenly; "but we must catch old Purlrose to-night." "We will if we can," said Ralph. "Well then, that's all. It's as easy as easy. All we've got to do is to get our best men together, and meet Ah! where shall we meet?" "At Steeple Stone, half-way there. That will be about the same distance for you to come as for us."
"I could not do it in that way." "Hah!" ejaculated the lad, with a sigh of content. "No, Purlrose," continued Sir Morton. "I shall not avail myself of your services. Go into the hall and refresh yourself and your men. Come to me afterward, and I will help you as I said." "With a mouthful of bread, and a few pence, and after all this weary journey across these wild moors.
"Captain Pearl Ross?" "Nay, nay, boy; Purlrose. He'll know directly you speak. Tell him, I'm waiting to grasp him by the hand."
"Yes, if, my boy; but I do not think that Eden will. We shall hear no more of the vagabonds, unless Purlrose comes back to beg." "I'll go and watch them, father," cried Ralph eagerly. "Yes; but you will not go near, so as to run any risk? If they found you alone, they would attack and strip you of everything of value you have." "I'll take care," cried the lad.
"Oh, I say, you are good at this sort of thing," cried Mark eagerly. "I shouldn't have thought of that." "We couldn't fight in the dark; we shouldn't know friends from foes." "We should know our own men, and of course your men would be enemies to my men; but, of course, we shouldn't want to fight, but to know Purlrose and his men. Yes, we must have pitch torches.
"I should like to be there," said Ralph, half-aloud, as he tramped on: and then his thoughts took a serious turn again, and he began to ponder upon the possibilities of his father and their men attacking Captain Purlrose, and the chances of success.
"The Darleys," whispered Dummy, as they peered together round the inner corner of the gateway dividing the two courts. "In with it, boys!" roared a hoarse voice; and they dimly made out a heavy figure standing in the shelter of the wall. "Captain Purlrose and his gang," whispered back Mark huskily. "I wonder how many men my father has in there."
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