Black Bess; or, the Knight of the Road — page 347: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

_* , 4° J. b MAUS ip wate Ree ete eet) SS ain e +e? . 4 > oo . Ah aia iy rw” nya na es F. ‘Zr 4 tne Eh NG we = hs ne + : te As, 4 +! “ . Hit tee St Ch we ee a. ~ igo a ee ad , eRe le eae Wiss OS Rode RE lee, "oe ® ci bed ¥ = ni She ae MPD. ‘Ga! > oka? 7 r tr o- : Pn We ‘ het 5 ty de Ag ~<a! oy a Wats » 3, ~ 4 ¢ dice 5 yh 4m A ‘ 4 7 Ps ‘the course of action that will be the best 3 discuss this first,” said Claude Duval. “My appetite is prodigious, and this is the first comfariabie meal I have sat down to fora very long time.” ___- By common consent, all consultation as to their forare actions was postponed, while the whole of their attention was paid to the geou things vefore them. a! ____ No sooner. however, was the meal over than Tom King made his way to the stables, upon pretence of seeing that pe: the horses had been supplied with water. oS He was so fortunate as to enter unseen by the ostler, ‘ho just then happened to be engaged indoors, Tom was considerably puzzled to know how the corn had been disposed of so suddenly and completely, for the mangers were positively bare. The horses looked hungry and discontented, having nothing to satisfy themselves with besides some not over sweet hay in a rack above. Tom, however, happening to look very closely, per- ceived that at one extremity of the manger a small bag F was fitted, so placed and so contrived that a great quan- tity of corn could be swept into it in a moment, which, falling to the bottom of the bag, was of course quite out of the horses’ reach. Having made this curious discovery, Tom scarcely knew what to do. bo However, he determined to return and confer with Dick before taking any decisive step. The ostler being still absent, Tom quitted the stable without any of the occupants of the inn being aware of : his visit to it. . He quickly communicated his discovery to Dick, who, of course, was much incensed. ‘‘T don’t believe the landlord is to blame,” said Tom. “Tt’s the villanous ostler. By adopting tbis fittle ex- pees you may depend he makes a capital aadition to is wages.” “Come along with me,” said Dick—‘'I have au idea. You will see what it isin a moment without my taking = the trouble to describe it to you.” With these words the whole of the party repaired to oy the yard. No sooner did Dick cross the threshol€ yan he gave that signal which always had the effect 9 ~ inging Black Bess to his side. 5 a stable door was open, but Bess was confined bya alter. One sudden snatch, however, enabied her to break the rope, and she at once trotted out into the yard, to the great astonishment of the landlord and the ostler, who both came out iuto the yard. ** Hilloa!” said Dick, as soon as he caught sigut of his mare. ‘So there’s some roguery here, is there |” “ Roguery !” gasped the landlord. “ Yes,” answered Dick ; ‘this mare of mine is a very sagacious and intelligent animal, and whenever she m=+ts bate any ill usage she always contrives to let me know of it. “Til usage ?” ejaculated the landlord and the ostjer in one breath. “Yes; and by the way of her I don’t believe she Bas nad any corn given to her. She is hungry—that is what's the matter.” The landlord looked inquiringly at the ostler. The ostler at once appealed to Tom King. ““Why, sir,” he said, “did not you see me carry the corn through the yard, and did not you see me fill every one of the mangers ?” ‘‘] did,” answered Tom, ‘and therefore I cannot help , thinking my friend is mistaken.” 43 **Of course he’s mistaken!” cried the ostler, with a long-drawn breath of relief. _ “ We shall soon see,” said Dick, carelessly, and advanu- ing a few paces while he spoke, so that he could pla:e his hand on his maze*+ aeck. “See?” ejaculated the ‘andlord. ‘ How can yeu sev ? I hope you'll be careful in what you are saying! Don't _--—«yyou try to take away the good name of my house; om “* Well,” ee ape nae the same affectation of care- _ Jessness, ‘‘I shall just ask my mare the question, and = sball be satisfied with hex roplee” be 2 2 ** With her what?” “ Her reply” < ee ey ee + ie » > "4 al G oe: ; a ‘ a we ovf pes 4 be Te eS Ae oe ae ie ery x |» Sey 7 mle ee Son, te: Fe et on ve ee ut ‘ ; ’ a Pa be: ie pi? be be _-—s THE KNIGHT OF THE ROAD. * | ae ivia oo? The ostler grinned. * You don’t mean to tell me that your horse can spaai. do you ?” cried the landlord. “You shall see and judge for youn elves,” answered Dick. “Just wait a moment.” With these words he put his month clove to his mar*’s ear, and pretended to ask some question in a faint whis- per. Having done so, he touched her upon the Hank, an¢ the immediate effect of this was to cause Black Bess tc turn her head round so that her mouth was close to Net master’s ear. The effect was just the same as if the creature had really spoken. “ fust what I thought,” said Dick, looking up, sud en- countering the wondering countenances of the landlord and the ostler. ‘My mare declares that she has not had more than one mouthful of the corn that my friend over there put into her manger.” The ostler laughed very loudly, but he was not at his ease for all that—indeed, he felt decidedly uncomfort- able. The landlord looked at the matter in a serious light. CHAPTER MXXII. DICK TURPIN AND HIS COMPANIONS MEET WITH 4 SUR- PRISE AT THE LINN. “T pon’t know, gentlemen,” he said, “ what may be the meaning of this little farce—for so I cannot help calling it—but, understand, you have nota fool to deal with, and I won’t suffer the good name of my inn to be taken away with impunity! Do you mean to try to impose upon me with the tale that a horse can speak ‘bis “T have said it,” answered Dick, ‘‘and, if you don’t believe, I will give you a proof.” A proof ?” “Yes.” “ But how ?” “Why, by my mare.” “T don’t understand you !” “Then I will quickly make my meaning clear. I am going to ask my mare what became of the corn that my friend saw put in the manger, and rely upon it she wil! tell me the truth about it.” At this the landlord looked incredulous and im- patient — The ostler uneasy and confused. As before, Dick made a great pretence of whispering te Black Bess, and afterwards, in the same manner as be- fore, she placed her mouth to his ear. Dick nodded his head as though he had received a communication of a very satisfactory nature indeed. “ Well, sir?” asked the landlord, haughtily. ““T am glad tosay that all doubt and suspicion will now be at an end.” “ How sor” “ Because my mare has given me a proof of her former assertion.” We. “May {ask what it is?” said tke landlord, more &riih s than before. “Oh, certainly! My mare tells me that fixed at th. end of her manger is a bag, into which all the corn we swept by the ostler as soon as my friend’s back wa- turned, and tha other horses were served just 10 the sani way.” and,” said the landiord, staggering back a littl, “do you mean to .ook me in the face and say that you: mare told you that ?” “You don’t believe it, then ?” “ We—well, I[—I——” “Your hesitation ig quite sufficient. Yon need not trouble yourself to utter the denial which is trembling on your lips.” bs Le ” “Enough! I will give you the proof which fortunately is in my power. Stop your ostler from entering the stable, and then come in with me yourself, and then, if you do not find the bags just as I have described them, you are welcome to persevere in your disbelief. If you like, 1 will lay you two hundred guineas against two that al I have told you is neither more nor less cnan the truve” (e(0) JOOKS (C (E (@)