Sir Godfrey's horses led theirpeaceful life, he was attacked by Nat.
"Here, Master Scar," he cried excitedly, catching the lad by the sleeve,"is it true?"
"Is what true?"
"That the war's coming nigher our way, and they've sent for the masterto fight?"
"Yes, Nat; true enough," said the lad, proudly drawing himself up. "SirGodfrey and I are going off to the wars to-morrow morning."
"You, Master Scar? You?"
"Yes, Nat; to-morrow."
"Why, dear heart alive, Master Scar, lad," cried Nat, laying his handaffectionately on the boy's shoulder, "it seems only t'other day as youused to come and coax me to leave my mowing and go on hands and knees tomake a horse for you to ride, and now you're talking about going to thewar."
"Yes, Nat. Time goes."
"But, dear lad," cried the gardener, letting his hand slide down toScarlett's biceps, "why, you haven't got the muscle in your arm tohandle a scythe, let alone a sword to mow down men."
"I can't help that, Nat," cried Scarlett, angrily. "Let go. There'llbe muscle enough to thrash you some day."
"I hope so, dear lad. But try and thrash brother Samson first. Ishould like to see you do that."
"Don't talk nonsense. And come along. I want to look at the horses."
"But are you really going, Master Scar?"
"I--am--really--going, Nat, and I want to settle which horse I shallride. So please say no more about it."
Nat took off his hat and scratched his head, his face wrinkling up allover as he followed his young master to the stables, just like one ofhis own pippins which had been lying in the apple loft all through thewinter.
Then, as they reached the door, and Scarlett entered, Nat put on hiscap, gave his knee a slap, and with one set of wrinkles disappearingfrom his countenance to make room for another, like a human dissolvingview, he burst out into a low chuckle.
"That'll knock the wind out of old Samson's sails! A miserable,cowardly, fat-headed old puddick. He wouldn't have the courage to dothat."
"Nat!"
"Coming, Master Scar;" and Nat hurried into the stables to find hisyoung master standing beside the light cob his father often rode."Hullo, Master Scar, sir, thinking about having Moorcock?"
"Yes, Nat. My father is sure not to take him for his charger, and hewould suit me exactly."
"Well, yes, sir, I dare say he would. But why not have Black Adder?"
"Because I thought my father would like him."
"Nay, sir; master'll choose Thunder, as sure as can be, and--Hush! Herehe is."
"Well, my boy, have you made your selection?" said Sir Godfrey, as heentered the stables, where eight horses raised their heads to look roundand utter a low whinny.
"Yes, father; I have been hesitating between Moorcock and Black Adder,but I thought you would like the black."
"No, my boy, I have made up my mind to have Thunder."
"I think I'll take Moorcock all the same," said Scarlett, thoughtfully.
"He will suit you better now. Two years hence, I should have said takeBlack Adder."
"Why not take 'em both, Master Scarlett?" said Nat, respectfully."Black Adder knows me by heart, and I could ride him and take care ofhim when you didn't want him, or he'd do for master if Thunder was outo' sorts."
"Why, Nat, my good fellow," said Sir Godfrey, smiling, "you will be hereat the Hall, helping to protect her ladyship and cutting cabbages."
"No, I shan't, Sir Godfrey," replied the gardener, with a stubborn lookin his bluff English face. "I shan't be here, but along o' you andMaster Scarlett, and 'stead of cutting cabbages, I shall be cutting offheads."
"Nonsense, man!" said Sir Godfrey, but with far less conviction in histone.
"Beg your pardon, sir, but I don't see no nonsense in it. I'vesharpened scythes till they cut like razors, and if you don't believeit, look at our lawn. Think, then, if I take my best rubber with me, Ican't sharpen a sword?"
"Oh, nobody doubts that, my man; but--"
"Why, look here, Sir Godfrey, I'll keep yours and Master Scar's swordswith such an edge on 'em as shall frighten your enemies into fits.You'll let me go, won't you, dear master? I can't stay behind." SirGodfrey shook his head. "Master Scarlett, sir, put in a word for me.Don't go and leave me behind. I'll be that faithful and true as neverwas."
"Nobody doubts that, my man."
"Then let me go, Sir Godfrey. Why, see how useful I can be. I can washfor you, and cook for you--anything, and cut a few armfuls of heath of anight to make your beds. And, look here, gen'lemen, soldiers on themarch never gets a bit o' vegetable; but if there's any within a dozenmiles of where you are, you shall always have it. So there!"
"You do not know the hardships of a soldier's life, my good fellow,"said Sir Godfrey, as he patted the neck of the noble-looking,dark-dappled grey in one of the stalls. Nat laughed.
"Well, master," he said, "if you gen'lemen as never gets yourselves wetcan bear 'em, I should think I can. Let me go, sir, please." SirGodfrey hesitated.
"Well, my lad," he said, "I must warn you of the risks of what you ask.We both go with our lives and liberties in our hands."
"All right, sir; and I'll take my life and liberty in my hand, though Idon't zackly know what you mean."
"I mean that any day you may be cut down or shot."
"Oh, that, Sir Godfrey! Well, so's our flowers and fruits every day.That's their chance, I suppose, and I'll take mine same as you takeyours. Maybe I might help to keep off a bit o' danger from both on you,and I don't suppose Master Scarlett would let any man give me a chop, ifhe could stop it."
Sir Godfrey gave his horse a final pat on his fine arching neck, andwalked back out of the stall, to stand gazing full at his man, whoslipped off his hat, and drew himself up awkwardly in soldierly fashion.Then, without a word, and to Nat's dismay, he turned to his son.
"Yes," he said; "take Moorcock, my boy, and the stoutest saddle andbridle you can find."
Then he walked straight out of the stables, leaving Nat gazing after himin dismay.
"And me with such arms, Master Scar!" he cried, in a protesting tone."Look here, sir."
He stripped off his jerkin and rolled his shirt up over his knottedlimbs, right to the shoulder, displaying thew and sinew of which agladiator might have been proud.
"Well, Master Scar, sir, as I'm not to go, I wish I could chop off themtwo arms, and give 'em to you, for you'd find 'em very useful when youcame to fight."
Just then the stable door was darkened by the figure of Sir Godfrey, wholooked in, and said sharply--
"Scarlett, my boy, I have been thinking that over. It would be wise totake Black Adder too, in case one of our steeds breaks down."
Nat's ears gave a visible twitch, and seemed to cock towards thespeaker, as he continued--
"I'll leave it in your hands to settle about Nat. You can take him ifyou wish."
He walked away, and in an instant Nat was squatting down, and goingthrough what is known to boys as the cobbler's hornpipe for a fewmoments, a triumphal terpsichorean performance, which he ended directly,and ran to the wall, ducked down head and hands, till he planted them onthe stone floor, and, throwing up his heels, stood upon his head, andtapped the wall with the backs of his boots.
"Nat, come down," cried Scarlett, laughing. "Why, what does that mean?"
"Mean, sir? Why, I feel as if I could jump out o' my skin."
"Why?"
"Because I'm a-going along o' you, and to show my brother Samson aswe've got some stuff in our family."
"But I didn't say that you were to go."
"No, Master Scar; but you're going to, aren't you?"
Scarlett was silent.
"Oh, Master Scar, sir, don't you run back. Do, do pray take me. Ah, Isee a twinkle at the corner of your mouth. You're only teasing afellow. I may go, sir?"
"Yes, Nat; and I'm very, very glad."
Nat startled the horses by throwing his cap to the roof of the stable,and made t
hem tug at their halters, but it did not seem to matter tohim, for he caught up a pitchfork, shouldered it, and began to march upand down, shouting rather than singing a snatch of a song he had heardsomewhere in the neighbourhood, where the war fever had been catchingmore men than they knew--
"`So it's up with the sword that will