Part 40 (1/2)
Before they had gone a dozen yards, Nat, who was fidgeting about in his saddle, evidently in a state of considerable mental perturbation, wrenched himself round and looked after the Manor people, to see that Samson was waiting for him to do so; and as soon as he did look, it was to see a derisive threatening gesture, Samson, by pantomime, suggesting that if he only had his brother's head under his arm, he would punch his nose till he made it bleed.
”Ur-r-r-r!” snarled Nat, with a growl like that of an irritated dog.
”What's the matter, Nat?”
”Matter, sir? See that Samson--ah, he's a rank bad 'un--shaking his fist at me, and pretending to punch me? Here, I must go and give it him now.”
”No, no,” cried Scar, catching at Black Adder's rein. ”Your orders are to follow your colonel.”
”But are we to let that brother of mine insult his majesty's troops?”
”We can afford to treat it with contempt,” said Scarlett, solemnly, though Nat's words and allusions made him feel disposed to laugh.
”But I want to treat it to a big leathering, Master Scar. Here, sir, mayn't I ride after him and fetch him off his horse?”
”No; certainly not.”
”But, Master Scar, what could your father be thinking of? Here had we got three of the ugliest Philistines in Coombeland in our hand, and we've let 'em go to blight and freeze and blast everything. What could Sir G.o.dfrey be thinking about?”
”Nat.”
”Yes, sir.”
”Do you know what is a soldier's first duty?”
”To fight, sir.”
”No: to obey orders.”
”But we aren't soldiers yet.”
”I think we are; so be silent.”
”Yes, sir; but if I only had leave, I'd draw my sword, gallop after that bad brother of mine, and fetch him off his horse, or jacka.s.s, or whatever the miserable beast is that he has his legs across.”
”And kill him? Your own brother?”
”Kill him? Not I, sir. He arn't worth it. No; I'd take him prisoner, nearly knock his head off, and then I'd tie his hands to the tail of my horse, and drag him to the king's camp in triumph.”
Scarlett made no answer, for he had no faith in his servant's threats; and together they rode on and on after Sir G.o.dfrey, over the pleasant moor, and on to the cultivated lands, and then on and on still into the darkness, which seemed, as it thickened, like the gross darkness of war and destruction, sweeping down upon the fair and sunny west.
So thought Scarlett Markham, as he still rode on through the darkness, and then his thoughts returned to home, and his mother's att.i.tude as she flung herself upon her knees, her clasped hands toward heaven, as she uttered a prayer for the protection of those she loved.
Sir G.o.dfrey made no sign. He merely turned from time to time to see if those he led were close behind, and then rode slowly on to join those whose hands were raised against their brothers--father and sons to plunge into the terrible warfare, which, once begun, seemed to know no end.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN.
WARLIKE EXPERIENCES.
A year rapidly pa.s.sed away, during which, young and slight as they were, Scarlett Markham and Fred Forrester seemed to have changed into boyish young men. The excitement of a soldier's life had forced them on, and with great rapidity they had mastered the various matters of discipline then known to the army. Sir G.o.dfrey and Colonel Forrester were received by the opposing factions with delight, their old military knowledge making them invaluable, and they were at once placed in command of regiments of horse, newly raised, and whose training caused them immense effort.