Notwithstanding that he spoke in this very friendly and confidentmanner, he seemed to have considerable hesitation about entering,and remained outside the roof. He was rather better dressed thanusual: wearing the same suit of threadbare black, it is true, buthaving round his neck an unwholesome-looking cravat of a yellowishwhite; and, on his hands, great leather gloves, such as a gardenermight wear in following his trade. His shoes were newly greased,and ornamented with a pair of rusty iron buckles; the packthread athis knees had been renewed; and where he wanted buttons, he worepins. Altogether, he had something the look of a tipstaff, or abailiff"s follower, desperately faded, but who had a notion ofkeeping up the appearance of a professional character, and makingthe best of the worst means.
"You"re very snug here," said Mr Dennis, pulling out a mouldypocket-handkerchief, which looked like a decomposed halter, andwiping his forehead in a nervous manner.
"Not snug enough to prevent your finding us, it seems," Hughanswered, sulkily.
"Why I"ll tell you what, brother," said Dennis, with a friendlysmile, "when you don"t want me to know which way you"re riding, youmust wear another sort of bells on your horse. Ah! I know thesound of them you wore last night, and have got quick ears for "em;that"s the truth. Well, but how are you, brother?"
He had by this time approached, and now ventured to sit down by him.
"How am I?" answered Hugh. "Where were you yesterday? Where didyou go when you left me in the jail? Why did you leave me? Andwhat did you mean by rolling your eyes and shaking your fist at me,eh?"
"I shake my fist!--at you, brother!" said Dennis, gently checkingHugh"s uplifted hand, which looked threatening.
"Your stick, then; it"s all one."
"Lord love you, brother, I meant nothing. You don"t understand meby half. I shouldn"t wonder now," he added, in the tone of adesponding and an injured man, "but you thought, because I wantedthem chaps left in the prison, that I was a going to desert thebanners?"
Hugh told him, with an oath, that he had thought so.
"Well!" said Mr Dennis, mournfully, "if you an"t enough to make aman mistrust his feller-creeturs, I don"t know what is. Desert thebanners! Me! Ned Dennis, as was so christened by his ownfather!--Is this axe your"n, brother?"
Yes, it"s mine," said Hugh, in the same sullen manner as before;"it might have hurt you, if you had come in its way once or twicelast night. Put it down."
"Might have hurt me!" said Mr Dennis, still keeping it in his hand,and feeling the edge with an air of abstraction. "Might have hurtme! and me exerting myself all the time to the wery best advantage.
Here"s a world! And you"re not a-going to ask me to take a sup outof that "ere bottle, eh?"
Hugh passed it towards him. As he raised it to his lips, Barnabyjumped up, and motioning them to be silent, looked eagerly out.
"What"s the matter, Barnaby?" said Dennis, glancing at Hugh anddropping the flask, but still holding the axe in his hand.
"Hush!" he answered softly. "What do I see glittering behind thehedge?"
"What!" cried the hangman, raising his voice to its highest pitch,and laying hold of him and Hugh. "Not SOLDIERS, surely!"
That moment, the shed was filled with armed men; and a body ofhorse, galloping into the field, drew up before it.
"There!" said Dennis, who remained untouched among them when theyhad seized their prisoners; "it"s them two young ones, gentlemen,that the proclamation puts a price on. This other"s an escapedfelon.--I"m sorry for it, brother," he added, in a tone ofresignation, addressing himself to Hugh; "but you"ve brought it onyourself; you forced me to do it; you wouldn"t respect thesoundest constitootional principles, you know; you went andwiolated the wery framework of society. I had sooner have givenaway a trifle in charity than done this, I would upon my soul.--Ifyou"ll keep fast hold on "em, gentlemen, I think I can make a shiftto tie "em better than you can."