While the three drawing-room guests stripped, rubbed
themselves down with the grateful towels, and put on their dry attire,
the kitchen filled up with the humid and steaming Pilgrims, Rufus, the
idiot boy, and his mother. Constable Rigby lodged his prisoner on some
straw in an empty stall in the stable, and, producing a pair of
handcuffs, which he had left there, secured him, fastening also a stall
chain round one of his legs with a padlock. The constable was severe,
but he had lost two prisoners the previous day, had been abused by
Sylvanus Pilgrim, and was very wet and tired. To the credit of Sylvanus
be it said, that he came out with Ben Toner's clothes, and lent them to
his elderly rival, and actually carried the corporal's wet garments into
the kitchens, there to hang with a large assortment of others, drying
before the two stoves, in full blast for the purpose. The gum coats had
fairly protected the clothes of Matilda and Monty, but their feet needed
reclothing, and it took some time to dry their heads. Maguffin had taken
off his wet things, and was asleep in the loft bed, keeping one ear open
for the safekeeping of the colonel's horses.
Pages:
484
485
486
487
488
489
490
491
492
493
494
495
496
497
498
499
500
501
502
503
504
505
506
507
508