Part 31 (2/2)

”No, sir!” said Mr. Skinner, doggedly. ”That's not my post. It is my duty to superintend and conduct the affair.”

”You're a--never mind! Go at them, my men!” shouted the inspector. The justice repeated the words of command with a still louder tone; and Mr.

Catspaw's shrill voice was heard echoing the words from behind a distant oak. The inspector, flouris.h.i.+ng his sword, and followed by the Pandurs and peasants, advanced towards the hut, but they were again fired at from within. The report of the muskets was followed by deep groans, which showed that the robbers had taken a good aim.

The Pandurs retreated. ”On with you! Go on! before they've had time to charge! There's no danger now!” and the inspector, followed by a few of his boldest men, made another rush at the door. Another discharge! The inspector had his left arm broken, and one of the Pandurs was shot through the body.

”On! at them!” shouted the leader, nothing daunted; ”they've got no powder now! On! on!” and, seizing an axe, he advanced again, while his men, partly because they believed that the robbers were short of ammunition, and partly yielding to the excitement of the combat, loaded their pieces and followed him. But musket after musket was fired by the robbers inside, and almost each shot took effect. The wailings of the wounded, the oaths of the besieged and the besiegers, the reports of the muskets, and the glaring flash which accompanied each discharge, were made still more fearful and startling by the darkness of the night; while the inspector's voice, as he urged his men on, was distinctly heard in the midst of the general confusion.

”Give me that piece!” shouted he, flinging his axe, and s.n.a.t.c.hing a musket from the hand of a Pandur. ”Now that's for you, Viola!” and he fired it into the hut.

A scream and a heavy fall was heard. But before the inspector could vent his joy in words, the fire was returned from within, and the peasant who stood at his side had his skull s.h.i.+vered. ”Give me another musket!”

roared the inspector, but in vain; the Pandurs hastened back to the judge, who stood at a safe distance, cursing and urging the combatants on. Their leader, finding that he was left to fight the battle alone, returned likewise, with his shoulder pierced by a bullet.

”Why, you cursed rascals! how dare you come back? Where's the robber?”

cried the intrepid judge, flinging down his pipe in a paroxysm of rage.

”Where is Viola? how dare you come back without him?”

n.o.body answered. One of the Pandurs stooped for the pipe, which, strange to say, was not broken.

”Knock the ashes out and give it a good cleaning, you rogue! It won't draw!” said the justice; and, turning to the others, he proceeded: ”Did I not order you to bring the robber? to seize him and bind him?”

”Your wors.h.i.+p,” said one of the men, ”we did all that men can do. There are four of us killed, and half the rest wounded. They've broken the inspector's arm.”

”There are at least ten robbers in the hut. The cuttings are black with the muzzles of their guns. It's quite impossible to go up.”

”Impossible? who dares to say any thing is impossible? I'd like to see the man who dares to say it! Impossible? when _I_ say it _is_ possible!

why you scurvy----”

”He's right!” said the inspector. ”If you would take Viola, you must have better men than the like of these.”

”But I say they shall take him! I'd like to know who is the master, you or I?”

”Your wors.h.i.+p had better try. I've done my duty, and I'm done for, at least for this night. Both my hands are disabled; I am not a match for a child in arms.”

Mr. Skinner shook his head.

”I was not aware, sir,--it's a pity you are wounded. The wounded must of course fall back. As for the rest, let them stand in a line. Well done!

March! March! Ma----”

The word of command was broken off by another discharge from the hut, and the line, which had begun to move, fell back in disorder. As for Mr. Skinner, he took refuge behind a tree. He knew that his safety was essential to the success of the expedition.

”Forward, you cowards! March! March!” shouted he; but none obeyed.

”March! I say. Will you, or not?” screamed the justice, collaring the man who stood next to him.

”No, I will not!” said the man, as he slipped aside.

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