He could detect the accents of
a voice, which he knew so well, pleading the cause of silence with
another that trembled with suppressed laughter as it made ineffectual
promises to be quiet. The two clergymen also heard the friendly
altercation at the window, so still was everything else, and chuckled as
they filed past the legal sentry, now on the broad grin. The Captain and
Mr. Terry were above taking notice of such trifles, for they were
eagerly persuading each other to take just the least drop before going
out into the heavy night dews. No sooner had the five entered the
guard-room than the Squire re-formed them and marched them off to
relieve the old sentries. The lawyer's place was taken by the dominie,
Toner's by the Captain, that of Sylvanus by Perrowne, that of Timotheus
by Errol, and Rufus' post of honour by the veteran, who would accept no
other. There was a sixth guard in the person of Muggins, who kept his
master company and behaved with the greatest propriety and silence.
Sylvanus and Timotheus, Rufus and Ben had a separate guard-house of
their own in the kitchen, where Mrs.
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