CHAPTER ELEVEN.
THREE CURIOUS CHARACTERS.
"Yee-up, Jinkum! Yee-up!"
The exclamations were accompanied by the thwack of a stick over the hipsof a donkey half-hidden under a pair of panniers.
"Don't press the poor creetur, Jack. It be a hardish climb up thepitch. Gie't its time."
"But you know, Winny, the panners be most nigh empty--more's the pity."
"True o' that. But consider how fur's been the day. Seven mile toMonnerth--a good full load goin'--an' same back, whens we be home. An'than't had thing to eat, 'cept the pickin's 'long the roadside."
"All the more reezun for gittin' 'im soon home. I'd lay wager, if theanymal kud speak, 't 'ud say the same."
"Might. But, for all that, him's rightdown tired. If him want, therewud be no need yer slappin' he. Don't slap him any more, Jack."
"Well, I won't. Yee-up, Jinkum! I 'ant a-goin' to gi' ye the stickagen. 'Nother mile, and ye'll be back to yer own bit o' paster in theole orchart, whar the grass'll be up to yer ears. Yee-up!"
At which Jinkum, as though comprehending the merciful dispositiontowards him, and grateful for it, seemed to improve his pace.
The speakers were a man and woman, both of uncommon appearance--the mana diminutive specimen of humanity, who walked with a jerking gait, dueto his having a wooden leg. The woman was taller than he, by the headand shoulders quite; while in every other way above the usual dimensionsof her sex. Of a somewhat masculine aspect, she was withal far fromill-favoured--rather the contrary. Her gown of coarse homespun,dust-stained and _delabre_, could not conceal a voluptuous outline offigure; while to have her eyes and hair many a queen would have beenglad to give the costliest jewel in her crown. The complexion was dark,the features of a gipsy type--though she was not one--the hair, a veryhatful, carelessly coiled around her head, black as the wing of a crow.The first thought of one beholding her would be: "What a woman, if butwashed and becomingly clad?" For both skin and dress showed somethingmore than the dust that day caught up from the road--smouches of olderdate. Despite all, she was a grand, imposing personage; of tirelessstrength, too, as evinced by her easy, elastic step while breasting thatsteep pitch on her twenty-second mile since morning. The journey seemedto have had little effect on her, however it may have jaded Jinkum.
Notwithstanding the disparity in size between the man and woman--a gooddeal also in their age, he being much her senior--they bore a certainresemblance to one another. It lay in their features and complexion;Jack having a gipsyish look, too. Nor any wonder at their being somelittle alike, since they were _not_ man and wife, but brother andsister--both born Foresters. There was nothing in the character ofeither at all disreputable, though their business was such as usuallybrings suspicion on those who follow it. Known all over the forest, andfor miles around it, as cadgers, they trafficked in every conceivablething by which an honest penny might be made, though their specialitywas the transport of fowls, with other products of the farmyard, to themarkets of Ross and Monmouth--generally on freight account--taking backsuch parcels as they could pick up. Ruardean was their port ofdeparture and return; their home, when they were at home, being acottage in the outskirts of that elevated village.
Rarely, if ever, were "Jerky Jack"--the soubriquet his gait had gainedfor him--and his big sister seen apart; Winny, or Winifred--for such washer baptismal name--being a valuable helpmate to him. Some said she wasmore--his master.
That day they had been to Monmouth market, and now, at a late hour ofthe evening--after sunset--they were climbing Cat's Hill on their returnhomeward. As already said, there was then no Kerne bridge, and they hadcrossed by the ferry at Goodrich; a roundabout way to where they nowwere, but unavoidable--making good the woman's estimate of the distance.
Up the remainder of the pitch, Jerky kept his word, and no more stickwas administered to Jinkum. But before reaching the summit the tiredanimal was treated to a spell of rest, for which it might thank a manthere met, or rather one who dropped upon them as from the clouds. Forhe had come slithering down a steep shelving bank that bordered theroad, suddenly presenting himself to their view outside the selvage ofbushes.
Notwithstanding his _impromptu_ appearance, neither showed sign of alarmnor surprise. Evidently they expected him; for but the minute before asound resembling the call of the green woodpecker--the "heekul," asknown to them--had reached their ears, causing them to turn their eyestoward the direction whence it came. From the wood, where, of course,they could see nothing; but there was a peculiarity in the intonation ofthe sound, telling them it proceeded not from the throat of a bird, butwas in some way made by a man. That the woman knew how, and who theman, she gave evidence by saying, "That be Rob!" as she spoke a pleasedexpression coming over her countenance.
Whether Rob or no, he who so mysteriously and fantastically presentedhimself to their notice was a man of aspect remarkable as either ofthem. In size a Colossus; dark-complexioned like themselves, with fullbeard, and thick shock of brown-black hair standing out around his neckin curls and tangles. His coat of bottle-green cloth--amply skirted--and red plush waistcoat, showed creased and frowsy, as if he had passedthe previous night, and many preceding it, in a shed or under a tree.For all, there was something majestic in his mien, just as with thewoman--a savage grandeur independent of garb, which could assert itselfunder a drapery of rags.
As the three came together, he was the first to speak, more particularlyaddressing himself to Jerky. For the sister had a little side businessto transact, plunging her hand into one of the panniers, and bringingforth a basket, out of which the neck of a bottle protruded.
"Well, Jack! What's the news down Monnerth way?" was the commencementof the colloquy.
"Lots, Rob; 'nough if they were wrote out on paper to fill them panners,an' load the donkey down."
Jinkum's owner was of a humorous turn, and dealt in figures of speech,often odd and varied as his bills of lading.
"Tell us some o' 'em," requested Rob, placing himself in an attitude tolisten.
"Well," proceeded the cadger, "it be most all 'bout politicks there now,wi' rumours o' war, they say be a brewin'. The market war full o' themrough 'uns from Raglan side, Lord Worster's people, bullyin' everybodyan' threetenin' all as wudn't cry out for the King."
"Ay;" here interposed the big sister, with a sneer, "an' you cried it,Jack--shouted till I was afeerd you'd split yer windpipe. That ye did!"
"And if I did," rejoined Jack, excusing himself, "how war I to help it?If I hadn't they'd a throttled me; may-be pulled off my wooden leg, andsmashed my skull wi't. An' ye know that, Winny. A man who'd a saidword there favour o' the Parlyment wud a stud good chance o' gettin'tore limb fro' limb. Tho' I han't two for 'em to tear sunderwise, Iwasn't the fool to go buttin my head 'gainst a wall when no good couldcome o't. If I did cry `Long live the King!' I thinked the contrary,as Rob knows I do."
"That do I, Jack, right well. A true free-born Forester, as myself, Iknow you ha' no leanin' like as them o' Monnerth and Lydney; Royalistsan' Papists, who want to make slaves o' us, both body and soul, an' keepus toilin' for them an' their fine-dressed favourites--devil burn 'em!"
Having thus delivered himself, the free-born Forester droppedconversation with Jerky, confining it to the sister. For which Jackgave them an opportunity, shrewdly guessing it was desired. Once moresaluting Jinkum with a "yee-up!" he started the animal off again up thehill, himself stumping briskly after.