Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1905-01-11
CHAPTER XIII

Ten minutes later the searchers were
gone, and we in our casks drawing long
breaths of thankfulness. And so we
crouched till about midnight Captain
Billy brought us down a supper of ships
biscuit, which we crept forth to eat, be-
ing sorely cramped. He could not hear
our thanks. but guessed them.
Nov. say not word! Tomorrow we
sail for Plymouth Sound, thence for Brit
tany. Hist. We be all Kings men
aboard the Godsend, tho hearing nought
| says little"
On the morrow in fact we set sail.
Twas necessary l should impart some
notion of my errand to Captain Billy,
tho l confn'd myself to hints, telling him
only twas urgent | should be put ashore
somewhere on the Cornish coast, for that
| carried intelligence which would not
keep till we reach'd Plymouth. a town
that, besides. was held by the rebels. And
We agreed readily to land me in Dude
Bay, land also thy comrade, if she be so
minded" he added, glancing up at Della
from the paper whereon l had written
my request She had been silent of late,
beyond her wont. avoiding Il thought to
meet my eye. but answered simply:
Il go with Jack"
Twas not till the fourth afternool
that we stepped out of the Godsend' 5
boat upon small beach of shingle,
whence, between rift in the black cliffs
wound up the road that was to lead us
inli nd.
We folIow'd the road rapidly; for De
liza, whom | had made sharer of the
rebels secret, agreed that no time was
to Se lost in reaching Bodmin, that lay Il
good thirty miles to the southwest. Night
fell and the young moon rose, with a
brisk breeze at our back that kept us
still walking without any feeling of
WEAKNESS. BY daybreak we spied a hill
in front topp'd with a stout castle, and
under it town of Importance, that we
guessed to be Launceston.
We now drew up to consider if we
should enter the town or avoid it. trust
ing to find breakfast in some tavern
on the way Because we knew not with
certainty the temper of the country, 1t
seem d best to choose this second course;
so we fetclr'd around by certain barren
meadows. and thought ourselves lucky to
hit on "A road that. by the size, must be
he one we sought, and a tavern with a
wide yard before it.
"Now Providence hath surely led us TO
breakfast" said Della, and stepp'd be-
fore me into the yard. toward the door.
/ was following her when. inside of a
gate to the right of the house. l caught
the CLEAN of steel. and turn'd aside to
look. To my dismay there stood near a
score of chargers in this second court,
saddled and dripping with sweat My
first thought was to run after Della; but
a quick surprise made me rub my eyes
with wonder. Twas the sight of sorrel
mare among them--a mare with one high
white stocking. In thousand / could
have told her for Molly.
Three seconds after | was at the tay-
ern door, and in my ears q voice sounding
that stopp'd me short and told me in one
instant that without heavens help all
was lost.
Twas the voice of Captain Settle
speaking in the taprOOm; and already
Della stood, past concealment, by the
open door.
- And therefore master car
ter, it grieyes me to disappOint thee; but
no man goeth this day toward Bodmin.
Such be my Lord Of Stamford's orders,
whose servant | am, and as captain Of
this troop | am sent to exact them. As
they displease you. his lordship is bat
twenty-four hours behind: you can abide
him and complain. Aha'
/ heard his shout as he caught sight Of
Della. | saw his crimson face as he
darted out and gripp'd her. ! saw, OF
half saw. the troopers erowding out az
ter him. For a moment hesitated. Then
came my pretty comrades voice, shrill
above the hubbub-
''Jack-they have horses outside.