Part 31 (1/2)

Viola, rus.h.i.+ng back into the hut, locked the door, and waked the butcher by giving him a kick.

”Did I not tell you so?” said the old robber, getting up, and seizing a double-barrelled gun; ”and there the fellow lies! he's as drunk as David's sow.”

Ratz Andor was wrong. The poor fellow, who bore his kick with the forbearance of an angel, grew quite sober when they told him of the approach of the enemy. ”Is there no means of escape?” whispered he.

”We are surrounded!” said Viola. ”If there are not too many of them, we are safe. Are the guns and pistols loaded?”

”They are; four double-barrelled guns, and six pistols. Let them come on! we'll give them their supper.” We need scarcely remark that it was Ratz Andor who said these words.

”Light the lamp. Put it into a corner, that it may not be seen from without. Throw ashes on the fire!”

The butcher obeyed tremblingly.

”Now, Ratz, you and I, we'll stand by the two cuttings in the door. You, butcher, look to the sides; and if anybody comes up to the house, you'd better shoot him. You can have a shot at either side. But don't allow any of the rascals to put their guns through the cuttings. Cheer up, boy, you are safe enough!”

Viola and Andor, gun in hand, stood by the door, keeping a look out through the small cuttings, or loop-holes, by which the walls of the building were pierced. The butcher walked to and fro in the background.

He trembled violently, and vowed reformation if he could only manage to escape with his life.

”The birds are roosting!” cried a loud shrill voice, which evidently proceeded from Mr. Skinner. ”They are there! I see a light in the hut.

Is it surrounded on all sides?”

Forty or fifty voices, which answered to this call, informed the robbers that there was no chance of escape. The butcher knelt down, and made the sign of the cross.

”You dog! I'll shoot you!” said Ratz Andor. ”Stand up, and be a man.

Stand by your cutting, and let fly at them!” The butcher obeyed.

”Robbers, I call on you to surrender!” cried Mr. Skinner. ”If you refuse to surrender on this summons of the county, you are liable to be tried by court-martial.”

All was silent in the hut, and the justice gave the word of command.

”At them, you rascals! Break the door. At them!”

A rush was made against the door; but before the axes of the a.s.sailants could touch it, the report of two muskets was heard. Two Pandurs fell; the rest retreated; and Ratz Andor shouted from the hut: ”Come on!”

At that moment the butcher likewise fired his piece. He too brought down one of the judge's men. This frightened the besiegers, who turned and fled. They paused for a time. The robbers reloaded their muskets, while the besiegers a.s.sembled round Mr. Skinner and the inspector. Mr.

Catspaw, with a modesty which did him infinite credit, kept at a distance.

”I don't see how we _can_ catch them,” said the inspector, leaning on his broad sabre, which had done good service in the insurrection of 1809, and of which the blade, which bore the mark of ”Fringia,” could not have been in better hands.

”Make another onset, and another and another!” cried the justice, stamping his foot. ”Don't leave off until you've got them, the rascals, and bound them and hanged them!”

”I'll do it, if it can be done!”

”_Can_ be done? There is nothing but _can_ be done when I command!”

”Very well!” said the inspector, angrily. ”It won't be _my_ fault if it is not done. I'll stick to the mark any day if your men don't turn tail.”

”If the fellows don't go, they are dogs and cowards! Knock them down, and be----”

”Well, sir, all I can say is, you'd better lead them to the charge, and knock them down at your liking, I'm not made for that sort of thing.”