By this time the moon had risen, but her lustre was frequently obscured by passing clouds. Not being familiar with the locality, Lord Wilmot placed himself under the guidance of Ninian Saxby, who now led the way to the stables. As the young falconer marched along in this unaccustomed guise of steel cap and breastplate, he almost lost the sense of his own identity, and while eyeing his accoutrements with secret satisfaction, flattered himself that he made a very smart soldier, and only regretted that Patty Whinchat could not behold him.
The party were crossing the valley a little to the south of the Grange, when the sound of their footsteps attracted the attention of the patrol at the door of the mansion. The sentinel immediately advanced to the gate, and challenged them.
“Who are ye that go there?” he demanded.
“Friends!” responded John Habergeon, in the true puritanical snuffle.
“Advance, friends, and give the countersign,” rejoined the sentinel.
“Maccabaeus and his company,” John replied, having luckily overheard the watchword whispered by the sergeant to his men.
“Pass on, then,” cried the trooper. ” Yet stay!-whither go ye?”
“To the stables, by order of Sergeant Delves.”
“Good!—but what means the clamour within the church?”
“It is caused by the malignant prisoners, who like not their lodging,” John replied, with a laugh, which was echoed by the trooper,
“Is that all?” he said. “I feared something might have gone wrong.”
“Hath aught been heard of our captain? demanded Lord Wilmot, disguising his voice as well as he was able.
“He returned half an hour ago with the prisoner,” replied the sentinel.
“Did you hear that? “Lord Wilmot observed in a low voice to Clavering. “Colonel Gunter is taken. He must be rescued at any cost.”
“Do you go back to the church after seeing to the horses, or are some of us to take your place?” inquired the sentinel.
“We will return presently and ascertain the captain’s pleasure,” returned Lord Wilmot.
Upon this the Royalists moved on, and the sentinel went back to his post.
In another minute the party reached the stables. Opening the door, Ninian quickly roused up a couple of grooms who were lying asleep on a pile of straw. A lighted horn lantern was hanging by a pulley overhead. At first the grooms took the whole party for Republican soldiers, and seemed reluctant to get up, but when Ninian made himself known, they quickly bestirred themselves. Each stall had a couple of horses within it; but though the stables were large, there was not accommodation for so many, and several of the troopers’ steeds had been placed in the cow-house. It was in the latter place that Lord Wilmot found his own charger. Having selected such horses as they thought would best suit them—keeping one for Colonel Gunter, in case they should succeed in liberating him—they turned all the others loose in the farm-yard, hiding away the saddles and bridles.
But just as the party issued forth from the stables with their newly acquired steeds, an alarming sound reached their ears.
The bell of the church began to toll.
How it could be rung by the imprisoned Ironsides, the Royalists could not conjecture, for they had seen no bell-rope; but so it was. The bell went on tolling, and with momentarily increasing rapidity and loudness.
At this sound, the sentinel posted outside the Grange gave the alarm. In another minute the door of the mansion was thrown open, and, a light streaming forth, showed the soldiers rushing out.
Though somewhat taken by surprise, Lord Wilmot and his party promptly prepared to act,
Book VII
Captain Tattersall of the Swiftsure
I
HOW SARGEANT DELVES WAS REPRIMANDED BY HIS LEADER
WEARIED by his long ride, and by his exertions throughout the day, Stelfax, on his return to Ovingdean Grange with the prisoner, retired to the chamber he had appropriated, and merely taking off the more cumbrous parts of his accoutrements, flung himself on the couch. He was buried in profound slumber, when the knocking of the butt-end of a carabine at the door roused him, causing him to spring up instantly and seize his arms. Clapping his steel cap on his head, but without tarrying to buckle on his corslet and leg-pieces, he marched to the door, and, unfastening it, found Mattathias outside, who acquainted him with the strange ringing of the church bell. Indeed, the sound could be plainly distinguished where they were, though the room was at the back of the house.