The New Forest Spy Part 21

"Yes," said Waller sadly, "but--"

"Oh, it must come to an end. I lie awake of a night wondering how it is that your servants have not found it all out before, with you bringing up all that I have to eat and drink. I fancy sometimes that they must know."

"But they don't," said Waller grimly.

"But how have you managed?"

"Oh, somehow," said Waller, with a half-laugh. "It's been mostly done by stealing."

"By stealing! Nonsense! You couldn't be a thief."

"Thank you for the compliment," said Waller, laughing; "but you are wrong. I have gone on stealing every day, everything you have had; only it was only my own breakfast and dinner."

"Then you have been starving yourself for me!" said G.o.dfrey excitedly.

"Oh, no, I haven't," cried Waller merrily, "only I've got the credit of being such a pig that cook's quite anxious about me. It was only the day before yesterday she wanted me to take some physic; said I was eating twice as much as was good for me, and it made her very anxious, and she wished my father would come home."

"Yes," cried G.o.dfrey, "your father, too. Why, you told me long ago that you expected him every day."

"Well, so I did; but he doesn't come, and he doesn't write. I don't know why it is; but, of course, he will come some day."

"Yes, and there will be terrible trouble about your harbouring me. Oh, Waller, I did hope your man of the woods would have got a pa.s.sage for me in some boat. Why, it's four days since he was here and promised to make that right."

"Oh, give him time," said Waller impatiently; "and do pray leave off grumbling when things are going so well."

"Going so well?"

"Yes, I didn't tell you. I was saving it up, only we got talking about other things. I have some news. The soldiers are gone. I am sorry to say."

"You are sorry to say?"

"Why, of course," said Waller sadly. "Doesn't it mean that I have to keep my promise and help to get you away?"

"Yes," said G.o.dfrey softly, and his fingers began to grip his companion's shoulder; "but some day I hope that I shall be able to cross over again, not as a poor fugitive, but in peace, and come here and see you, if you will have me when I am not a prisoner."

"If I will have you, lad!" cried Waller enthusiastically. "Why, you know I will; and my father will be glad to see you too, if you don't come, as old Bunny said, to try and steal the crown. Why, of course, you and I are going to be friends always. And you will write to me, and I shall write to you."

"Yes, yes; of course," cried G.o.dfrey eagerly. "I don't want to go away, Waller, but I must; and as that man--Bunny you call him--does not bring us any news, I want you to let me start off to-morrow night as soon as it is dark, and make my way to Southampton."

"To be caught and put in prison," cried Waller, "and--Bother that owl!

That's the third time it has hooted this last five minutes. No!" he cried in an excited whisper, as he rested his hands on the window-sill.

"Hist! It's Bunny Wrigg!" And then, clapping his hands to each side of his mouth, he softly imitated with wonderful accuracy the call of one of the woodland owls.

"_Hoi hoi hoi hoi hoi_!"

"_Pee-week_! _Pee-week_! _Pee-week_!" came from below them in the shrubbery a little to their left.

"All right, Bunny," whispered Waller. "I'll come down."

"Nay, lad; hold hard. I'm coming up."

The darkness was so dense that, as the lads gazed down, they had but a mere glimpse of a shadowy animal, as it seemed to be running across the lawn, and directly after there was a faint, soft rustling in the thick ivy.

"Isn't it dangerous for him?" whispered G.o.dfrey.

"Not it. Bunny can climb like a cat. He'll be right up in the big gutter directly."

The lad was quite correct, for, with wonderfully little noise, considering, the active fellow climbed up by the huge old stems of the ivy, and a couple of minutes later he was standing in the stone gutter, holding on by the division between the open cas.e.m.e.nts.

"Catch hold of this 'ere bundle--on my back," he whispered. "It's only hanging on by the strap over my neck."

Waller did as he was told, and, pulling the strap over the man's head, he drew a big soft bundle into the room.

"That's your sort," whispered Bunny. "If I tried to clamber in with that on it would have ketched."

The next moment he was gliding in over the window-sill, slowly and softly like a huge black slug, and ended by seating himself cross-legged on the floor.

"Anybody hear me if I talk?"

"No, but speak low," whispered Waller, while G.o.dfrey's breath was quite audible as he breathed hard in his excitement. "We were beginning to think that you did not mean to come."

"What call had you got to think that?" grumbled the man in a hoa.r.s.e whisper. "I went directly.--How are you, young gentleman?--My brother-in-law Jem had gone to sea, and I had to wait; and here I am now, large as life and twiced as ugly."

"But has your brother-in-law come back?"

"Oh, ay, he's got back."

"And will he take my friend across to Cherbourg?"

"Oh, I have been having a long fight with him about that, sir. He's got a nasty disposition, he has. I telled him that I'd give him a good price for doing the job, and that I'd go as far as three pounds."

"What!" cried Waller. "I told you five."

"To be sure you did, sir, but I warn't going to let him have all his own way, so I said three, meaning, if he argufied very much, to spring another pound and make it four. But he wouldn't. He stuck out for the five, and I had to promise him."

"Oh, but you shouldn't have wasted time over that, Bunny."

"Don't you tell me, Master Waller. I know brother Jem better than you do. He's a close-fisted one, brother Jem is, and he always takes care that them as buys his fish to sell ash.o.r.e shan't have too much profit.

Why, if I had offered him five pound right off he'd have held out for six. But don't you get wasting time talking. There aren't none to lose."

"No time to lose? What do you mean?" said Waller.

"Ah, you don't know, then? The soldiers is coming here to-night."

"To-night! Nonsense!" cried Waller. "They have gone right away--to Chichester, I think."

"Maybe they went, sir, but it warn't to Chichester; it was to Christchurch; and Tony Gusset got hold of something, and he's gone after them, and some one I know telled me they were coming here to-night, and don't mean to be put off this time."

"Then I must go at once," cried G.o.dfrey excitedly.