Crown and Sceptre: A West Country Story

is impossible."

  "Don't say that, sir. The men would like to see you whip him for whathe did."

  "No, Samson. It could not be done."

  "You aren't afraid of him, are you, sir?"

  "Afraid? How dare you?"

  "Oh, I beg pardon, sir. I was only saying so because I thought the menwould think you were, for putting up with a crack like that."

  Samson's words stung more deeply than he expected, though he had meantthen to rankle, for to his mind nothing would have been more fair ormore acceptable than for his young leader to face the Royalist prisonerwith nature's weapons, and engage in a regular up and down fight, suchas would, he felt sure, result in victory for their side.

  They rode on in silence for some time before Samson hazarded anotherword.

  "Beg pardon, sir," he then said, humbly. "I didn't mean to hurt yourfeelings."

  "No, no; I know that, Samson."

  "It was only because I thought that the men might think you afraid ofMaster Scarlett."

  Fred turned upon him angrily.

  "I beg your pardon again, sir," whispered Samson; "but it's just as Isay. I know you aren't scared of him a bit, because I've knowed youever since you was a little tot as I give pigabacks and rides a-top ofthe grass when I'd a barrow full. But the men don't know you as I do,sir. Call a halt, sir, and fight him."

  "Samson, I am talking to you as my old friend now, not as your officer.It is impossible."

  "Not it, sir. The men would like it. So would you; and as for me--letme fight brother Nat same time, and I'll give him such a beating as hewon't know whether it's next We'n'sday or last We'n'sday, or the yearbefore last."

  "I tell you, man, it's impossible, so say no more."

  "Very well, Master Fred. I only tell you the truth; and if you find thelads aren't so willing to follow you, mind, it's that."

  "I have my duty to do, sir, so say no more."

  "What a nuisance dooty is," said Samson to himself, as his young leaderwent slowly to the front, and rode for a time beside the leading file."They'll set him down as a coward. 'Course I know he isn't, but they'llthink so. Ha, ha, ha!"

  "What are you laughing at?" said the man on his right.

  "At him," cried Samson, pointing forward at his brother. "Looks justlike a trussed turkey."

  "Ah," said the man, quietly, "and who knows when it may be our turn toride prisoners just the same? Knew him before, didn't you?"

  "Eh? knew him? Well, just a little," said Samson, drily. "Come fromthe same part o' Coombeland. Me and him's had many a fight when we wasboys."

  "And the young captain and that long-haired popinjay met before, haven'tthey?"

  "Often. I was gardener to our captain's father--the colonel, you know;and that fellow with his headpiece on wrong was gardener to his fatheras hit our officer."

  "Took it pretty quiet, didn't he?" said the man.

  "Well, just a little. That's his way."

  "Wasn't afraid of him, was he?"

  "Afraid? Why, he don't know what it means!"

  "Humph! Looked as if he did," grumbled the man; and furtherconversation was stayed by Fred checking his horse, and letting thedetachment pass on till he was in the rear.

  They rode on hour after hour, till the horses began to show the need ofwater, and the men were eager for a halt to be called, so that theymight dine and rest for a couple of hours under some shady tree; but forsome time no suitable spot was found, and the advance and rear guardsrode on, keeping a keen look-out for danger one minute, for a shadygrove and water the next.

  Once there was an alarm. One of the advance guard came galloping backafter seeing a body of horsemen about half a mile away, their armsglittering in the sun; but the party, whatever it was, seemed to becrossing the road at right angles, and for safety's sake, Fred drew backhis men and took refuge among some trees in a hollow a hundred yardsfrom the road, where, to the great satisfaction of all, a spring wasfound rushing out of the rock.

  Here in a regular military fashion the horses' girths were loosened,they were watered, and allowed to crop the grass. Outposts wereplanted, hidden by the trees; sentries were placed over the prisoners,whose bonds were not unloosed, and the men opened their wallets topartake of a hasty meal.

  As soon as all the arrangements had been made, Fred saw that hisprisoners were supplied with food, a man being deputed to attend totheir wants, and this done, the young officer strolled off to the edgeof the woodland, where the road could be seen east and west, and stoodthere watching for the first approach of danger.

  His thoughts were divided between his charge and Scar's blow andinsulting, contemptuous conduct, which rankled bitterly, for he couldnot help feeling that the men would judge him according to their lights;and, think of the matter how he would, he felt that he had placedhimself at a disadvantage.

  "If I had only struck him back I wouldn't have cared."

  "Thought that over, sir?"

  Fred started, and turned to find that Samson had followed him andapproached over the soft moist ground beneath the trees unheard.

  "Thought that over?" faltered the young officer.

  "Yes, sir. Here's a splendid place for it just below among the bigtrees. Nice bit of open turf, quite soft for when you tumble down; andit would just please the men to see my young dandy cockerel's comb cutafter what he did for you."

  "Samson, you are talking nonsense. After serving so long in the army,you ought to know something of what an officer's duties are."

  "No, sir; I shall never learn nothing about dooties. I can fight,because it comes nat'ral to a man, and I'm obliged to; but I shall nevermake a good soldier."

  "You don't know, then, what you are saying."

  "Oh yes, I do, sir; and I know what the men are saying; and if you won'tfight, it must be me, for there's bound to be a rumpus if they go onsaying you behaved as if you had a white feather in your cap."

  "Who dared to say that?"

  "Several of 'em, sir; and I wouldn't hit out, because I thought youwould think better of it and fight."

  Fred turned away angrily.

  "Well, sir, I can't help speaking plainly; and I thought it better totell you what the lads are saying about it."

  "I cannot help what they say, sir; I am doing my duty. Now go back toyours."

  "Yes, captain; but don't be angry with your old servant as followed youto the wars. Give me leave to fight Nat, and that will be something."

  "Impossible, sir."

  "But it would keep the men's tongues quiet, sir. Just about a quarterof an hour would do for me to thrash him, and it would be all rightafterwards. The men wouldn't talk so much about you."

  Fred marched up and down without a word.

  "You see, sir, it's like this. Young Master Scar Markham's bouncingabout and ordering and behaving as if he was everybody.--You won't fighthim, sir?"

  "No!"--emphatically.

  "Then why not do something just to show him he isn't everybody, and thatyou are not afraid of him?"

  "You know I am not afraid of him, Samson," cried Fred, hotly.

  "Of course I do, sir; but the men don't know. How could they? Thereisn't one there as took you in hand from a little one, when you wasalways tumbling down and knocking the skin off your knees."

  Fred made an impatient gesture.

  "You see, sir, if you'd only do something it wouldn't so much matter.Any one would think, to see the airs he puts on, that he was PrinceRupert himself."

  Fred turned away, and stood with his back to his henchman, lest Samsonshould see from his face how he longed to forget his duty, and to ceasebeing an officer for a few minutes, becoming once more the careless boywho could retaliate sharply for the blow received.

  "He's sitting yonder, sir, in his scarlet and gold and feathers, andtossing his head so as to make his ringlets shake all over hisshoulders. Proud as a peacock he is, and looking down on us all like mybrother Nat did till I sheared off his long hair, and made him acrop-ear too. It's done him
no end of good. I only wish some one wouldserve his lordship the same."

  Samson little thought what effect his words would have on his youngleader, who again turned away and walked up and down to master theemotion which troubled him. The blow he had received seemed to smart;he pictured the faces of his men looking at him with covert smiles ontheir lips, and he seemed to see Scarlett sneering at him as some one socowardly as to be utterly beneath his notice; and he was suffering allthis because he