Hardly had this information been received when Maguffin's challenge was
heard, and a well-known voice in military accents replied "A friend."
The colonel went out, and brought in Corporal Rigby, panting for want of
breath.
"You've been running, Rigby," said the astonished Squire.
"Duty required it, sir," replied the constable, saluting; "I have come
at the double, with trailed arms, all the way from Squire Halbert's.
This is his rifle I am carrying. The enemy is on the move, sir, in
waggon transport." "You are jest in time, kenstable," remarked Mr.
Bangs. "Miss Kermichael and the ether ledies hev jest keptured an
impertent prisoner. Hev you yore hendkeffs?"
"I have, sir, and everything else the law requires." Mr. Terry handed a
glass to the breathless constable, who bowed his respects to the company
generally, smacked his lips as a public token of satisfaction, and
proceeded to handcuff and search his prisoner. Several blasting
cartridges with long fuses, and other incendiary material, were the
results of the last operation.
"If I had my way with him, sergeant-major," the constable remarked,
while taking his man under the veteran's command, to the stable, "I
would borrow an old chair from the back kitchen, not the front,
sergeant-major, tie him to it, and set off all these cattridges under
him.
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