Dick heard the noise without knowing the cause of it, being so
far beneath the window as to see nothing but the lighting of the glare.
"What was that?" he demanded, when the thunder gave him leave.
"'Twas our trapper clapping the shutter on the window over your head,"
said I. "He was looking in to see if we were ripe for hanging."
"'Tis no time for riddles; what mean you?"
"I mean that we shall have a file of redcoats down upon us as soon as
ever Mr. Owen Pengarvin can give the alarm."
"Oho!" said Dick; and then he pulled his sword from its scabbard, and I
could see the battle-veins swelling in his forehead. "They can hang me
when I am too dead to cut and thrust more--not sooner."
I got me up and went to find the sword which I had laid aside in the
horse-baiting. 'Twas a poor blade--one of our captures at the Cowpens;
and when I tried its temper it snapped in my hand.
"Never mind," said I; "give me the broadsword scabbard and I will play
it as a cudgel, 'tis long enough and full heavy enough."
He laughed and clapped me on the shoulder, swearing out his love for me
as if I had said something moving. "You are every inch a soldier, Jack;
you would put heart into a worse craven than I am ever like to be." And
he loosed the iron scabbard and gave it me.
Now ensued a most painful time of waiting and listening for the tramp of
our takers. We posted us near the door, a little to the side, so that
its inswing might not catch us; and so, bracing for the onset, we waited
till the strain of suspense grew so great that we both started like
frighted children, when finally the key was thrust into the lock and the
bolt shot back.
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