A Little Wizard Page 5

  CHAPTER V.

  TREASURE TROVE.

  When he awoke and found himself in darkness, he could not for a timeunderstand where he was. The line of light which had comforted him wasgone, and with it the homely sounds of kitchen life. He stretched hissore limbs in the darkness and shivered, looking timidly for theoutline of a window. Finding none, he put out his hand to feel for hisbedfellow, and lit instead on the rough surface of the door, againstwhich he had sunk down in his sleep until only his head rested uponit.

  The touch recalled everything to the boy's mind. With a low whimper ofalarm he sat up, and crouching against the door, which seemed somekind of company, listened, holding his breath. All was still in thehouse, and he presently comprehended that it was night and that thefamily had gone to bed, leaving him there.

  Use and sleep had rendered him in a way familiar with his prison, andhe did not on making this discovery break into any loud wailing.Instead, he huddled himself with a moan into as small a space aspossible, and not daring to put out his hand again lest it should reston some horror, some crawling thing or clammy hand, he tried with allhis might to go to sleep. He was dozing off and had almost succeeded,when a slight noise aroused him. In a moment a light shone under thedoor.

  He scrambled eagerly to his feet, and tapped softly. "Gridley!" hewhispered, "Gridley! Is that you?"

  No one answered, but the bearer of the light seemed to pause in themiddle of the floor as if struck by a sudden thought. Then Jack heardthe bolts of the outer door withdrawn, and even in his closet felt arush of cold air. Some one was going out!

  "Gridley! Gridley!" he cried desperately. "Let me out, will you?Please let me out."

  But Gridley, if Gridley it was, took no heed. The light disappeared,and Jack heard the door close as softly as it had been opened.

  He sat down, whimpering and wondering. The use of candles was souncommon in that house that he could not remember to have once seenone lighted, though he knew that a lanthorn hung behind the kitchendoor. Who then was this who used them, and went in and out by nightwith a foot fall which scarcely broke the stillness? The lad felt hishair move and his skin creep as he crouched trembling in the darkness.Then, on a sudden, he heard the door creak afresh and the footstepreturn--the same stealthy, cautious footstep, it seemed to him, whichhe had heard before. But this time there was no light.

  None the less was he sure that some one was now standing in the middleof the floor, within a yard or two of his place of confinement. Hisears, strained to the utmost, caught the sound of hurried breathingclose to him, and besides he had that ill-defined sense of another'spresence which we are all apt to feel. Terrified as he was, he stillclung desperately to the idea that it was Gridley, and he called theman's name again, his voice shaking with fear. To his surprise he thistime got an answer.

  "Hush!" some one muttered in the darkness. "Who is that?"

  "It is I--Jack," the boy cried joyfully "Please to let me out."

  "Where are you?"

  "I am locked in the closet by the fireplace, Gridley."

  "Hush! Is the key in the door?"

  "I think so!" Jack answered desperately. "Oh, please, please let meout."

  There was the sound of a hand being passed over the door, as if someone unacquainted with it, and uncertain on which side it opened, weregroping for the fastening. It seemed an age to the boy before the keygrated suddenly in the lock and the door yielded, and he felt the coldair rush in. For a moment he still hung back.

  "Is it you, Gridley?" he whispered timidly, putting out his hand andtrying to pierce the darkness, which was scarcely less dense in thekitchen than in the closet.

  "No, it is I--Frank!" his brother's voice answered. And thereon a handseized him roughly by the shoulder and drew him out. "I must havefood--food!" the voice hissed in his ear. "Don't waste a moment, lad,but tell me where it is kept. The woman is outside digging among thetrees--heaven knows on what witch's errand! She may return at anymoment. Where is the food kept?"

  The harsh, fierce note in his brother's voice did more than any wordsto persuade the boy of the necessity of haste. Collecting his sensesas well as he could, he answered, "Will oatmeal do, Frank?"

  "Better than nothing," was the answer. "Where is the tub? Lead me toit."

  Jack felt his way to the chest, and found it; to his joy it was stillunfastened. His brother rapidly took out several handfuls and thrustthem into his pouch. "Have you no cheese, oatcake, nothing else, lad?"he muttered.

  Jack remembered the scraps of cheese and cake which he still carriedin the bosom of his jacket, and gave them into the other's hand. "NowI am off," Frank muttered on the instant. "I can do with this untilto-morrow night. If the woman finds me here I must do her a mischief,and I do not want to. So good-night, lad!"

  He glided hurriedly away, leaving the child standing in the middle ofthe floor. Jack heard him go, and heard the door open and shut; andstill stood listening, wondering whether it was all a dream, or hisbrother had really been and was gone. Assured at length that he hadhad to do with reality, he wondered what course he ought to takehimself. He had no mind to go back to his former prison, in comparisonwith which his hard bed upstairs seemed the height of comfort; and sohe presently crept to the closet door, and turned the key, and thenfelt his way up to his room. Gridley was not there, but this troubledhim little. He threw off his clothes in a hurry, and in a moment wasin bed, where he lay listening with all his ears. He heard MistressGridley come back, and detected the sound of the key as she turned itin the outer door. He trembled lest she should come up to look forhim, but nothing of the kind happened; and while he still listened,the fatigues of the day proved too much for him and he fell asleep.

  It was broad day, and the sun had been up for hours, and the houseastir as many, when he awoke in his bed and found three people gazingat him. Instinctively at sight of their faces he began to cry,expecting a blow, or to be roughly plucked up and upbraided for hislaziness. But no blow came, nor did either of the three persons wholooked at him with eyes of such astonishment and perplexity offer totouch him.

  "You are sure that the door was really locked?" one of the men wassaying when he awoke.

  "Am I sure that you stand there?" the woman answered tartly. "Am I oneto make a mistake of that kind?"

  Simon Gridley shook his head. "I remember now," he muttered, "that Itried the door myself. It was locked sure enough."

  "And it was locked this morning," Mistress Gridley added.

  Luke's eyes, always wild, glittered with excitement. It was difficultto believe that he saw or could see anything except helplessness inthe child who quaked and shrank before them: but so it was. "There arethose whom locks will not bind, but they shall be bound on the GreatDay!" he said in a hollow voice; "of such it is written, 'These shollye make to cease from the earth!'"

  "Tut tut!" Simon answered sternly. "This is folly. What does the ladsay himself? Who let him out?"

  "Ay, who let you out, you imp of Satan?" the woman cried fiercely.

  But the boy discerned that, with all her fierceness, panic and terrorpossessed her; and it was this evidence of an evil conscience whichinspired him to answer as he did, "A woman came down stairs with alight in a lanthorn," he said.

  The men stared and waited for more, but the woman recoiled with a paleface. "You little liar!" she cried hoarsely. "What woman? What womanis there here?"

  The boy shook his head. "I did not see her face," he said, "but shecame down with a lanthorn."

  Mistress Gridley gasped. The boy knew something, but she could nottell how much. And then beyond this doubt lay the mystery, which wasas much of a mystery to her as to the others, how he came to be hereinstead of in the locked cupboard.

  "Bring the lanthorn!" Simon Gridley exclaimed on a sudden. "We can seeif it has been lately used, at any rate; and so far test his story."

  His wife went for it. When she returned with it, it was empty. "Thereis no candle in it," she
said sullenly. "The boy is a liar."

  Simon took it from her hand and thrust his nose into the opening."Softly, woman," he said. "It has been used within the week. Come,boy," he continued sharply, "who opened the door for you?"

  "I saw no one," the child answered with tears. "There was a woman witha lanthorn. But I saw no one when the door was opened!"

  Simon glared at him impatiently, and raised his hand as if he wereminded to try if a little correction would not render his account moreintelligible; but Luke, breaking in with one of his fierce rhapsodies,called off his brother's attention, and the three, without furtherquestioning, went downstairs to discuss the matter there. Simon alone,however, was able to do so with any degree of coolness and judgment;for though the woman did not altogether agree with Luke'sinterpretation, or find his gloomy fancies convincing, she had moresubstantial reasons than either of the others for fearing and hatingthe child: and no more notion than they had how he had contrived tofree himself from the closet in which she had placed him. That riddleshe could not read; and the longer she considered it, the darker grewher thoughts and suspicions, until nothing, not even Luke's sombretheory, seemed too strange or too improbable for belief. Consciencemakes not only cowards of us all, but the most credulous of cowards.

  Jack would scarcely have escaped further examination but for thereturn of the butler; who brought such news as not only broke up thefamily council, but caused the bearer to be taken back intofellowship. The main road westward to Clitheroe and Preston crossedthe moor not far from the house. He came to say that the advancedguard of the Parliamentary army was even then passing along it. Simonand Luke, with the Edgingtons, who arrived at the moment, hurried offon the instant to a sight than which none could be better calculatedto fill their stern breasts with joy. This left Mistress Gridley andthe butler together, and they had so much to say to one another thatthe boy, stealing timidly downstairs, found himself ignored, and,seizing the opportunity, slipped out on his own account at the back ofthe house. Taking every precaution he could think of to avoid notice,he passed through the yew-trees, and reached the mouth of the rift insafety.

  Here he waited a little, sitting on the ground, and presently Frankcame to him. "Are you quite sure you are not followed, lad?" he said,glancing warily round.

  Jack replied that he was, and brought out a little food which he hadmanaged to secrete. Then he told his brother what he had heard aboutthe march of Cromwell's army. "They say the main body will passto-morrow," he added.

  "Preston way, do you say?"

  "Yes."

  Frank's face grew dark and thoughtful. "If he is in strength he willtake them by surprise," he muttered. "What does he number, I wonder?Has he got only Ashton and the western Presbyterians, or is hissouthern army with him? If I knew, I would get across the moors at allrisks, and take the news. But it would not do to go with wolf in one'smouth, and be called a fool and a croaker for pay!"

  "They talk of twenty-five thousand men passing to-morrow," Jack said.

  "If that be true, and the Duke be marching, as he was marching threedays back, with his head a score of miles from his tail, he will becut in two as surely as he lives!" Frank cried with an oath. Hestarted up and began to pace the hollow, three steps this way andthree that, while Jack watched him eagerly. Four-and-twenty hours ofskulking had not improved the fugitive's appearance. He was hatlessand had lost his sword. His face was caked with dust and sweat, hisclothes were frayed and stained with blood. He had torn off part ofone sleeve to bind his head, and this, with his unshaven chin andhaggard eyes, contributed to his wild and desperate appearance.

  Yet the boy looked at him with pure admiration. The lad felt himself aman by reason of the share he had in his perils. The younger brotherlonged to help the elder. "You can see the road from the lower moor,"he said eagerly; "that is no more than a mile from here. Could you notgo there and see them pass, Frank, and then go to the Duke?"

  "Could I see them pass in these clothes?" Frank answered, with abitter smile. "True, I am not much like a cavalier, but I am not muchlike a Parliament man either! I should have the cry raised on mebefore I was a mile across the moor."

  "I forgot that," the boy said despondently. "Yet it would be a greatthing to warn Duke Hamilton, Frank, would it not? Do you think he willbe beaten if you cannot reach him?"

  The elder brother nodded gloomily, standing still and gazing at theground. The sides of the rift rose high above them, for the placewhere Jack had seated himself to wait lay close to the yew wood, wherethe fissure at its first starting from the ravine was deepest. Theyhad little to fear from observation; and familiarity with danger soearly breeds contempt that Frank fancied he had been in hiding here aweek instead of a day, and felt a proportionate confidence in hislurking place. The sun lay hot on the moor: the shadow where the twostood was cool and pleasant.

  "I suppose I could not do it," Jack said at last, humbly, and as oneexpecting a rebuff. "I am afraid I could not count well enough, Frank;but I will try, if you like."

  His brother looked at him with a sudden light in his face. "You?" hesaid. "I never thought of that!"

  But he began to think of it; and as he thought, his face bore witnessto the struggle which was passing in his mind. The lad beside him wasa mere child; the risk to which he would expose him was such that agrown man might shun it without shame. And the boy was not a childonly, but his own brother--one who had a claim upon him and a right toexpect at his hands peculiar care and protection.

  But he began to think of it.--Page 108.]

  He knew, in a word, that he was not justified in exposing the child tothe risk he meditated. But on the other side lay inclination and morethan one cunning argument. The prospect of turning defeat intovictory, and building on misfortune a claim to gratitude shonebrightly before him. He saw himself the saviour of the army, thanked,honored, and exalted by men who had lately looked coldly on him. Andthen again was it not the duty of every subject, young and old, todare all for the King; to think nothing which aided him dishonorable,nor any danger by which he might profit excessive? In some such creedhe had been brought up, and it came to his help at this moment.

  "I do not see why you should not do it," he said slowly andthoughtfully. "You would run less risk after all than a grown man, andbe subject to less suspicion."

  "Only I don't think I could count--not thousands," said Jackdespondently.

  "That is easily managed," Frank answered with a slight frown. "But youhad better not do it if you are afraid."

  "I am not afraid," Jack said, with a flushed face. "It is only thecounting, Frank."

  Frank nodded and stood awhile in doubt, twisting a bit of fern to andfro between his fingers. "If they caught you doing it they might--I donot know what they would do to you, Jack, lad," he said at last.

  "I do not mind," the boy cried bravely. "It is for the King, is itnot, Frank?"

  "Of course it is."

  "It might put him on the throne again, might it not, Frank?"

  "It might," said Frank. "But----"

  "What?" the boy asked, his face falling at the word.

  Frank did not answer. The child's loyalty and courage touched himalmost to the point of giving way. For a moment it was on his tongueand in his mind to refuse the offer. But then his own past errorstepped in his way. The temptation to turn the tables by a dazzlingsuccess on those who had blamed him for his breach of parole--thestill greater temptation to justify the breach by showing, at least,that he had not sinned in vain, overcame him.

  "You think you could do it, lad?" he said at last--instead of thatwhich he had meant to say.

  "I am sure I could--if I could count," Jack answered eagerly.

  "Well, then, look here," Frank said. "Or wait a moment."

  He began to search up and down the rift until he came upon two piecesof wood, one a foot long or something less, the other half as long. Hetrimmed them with his knife, and then cutting off one of the pointswhich fastened his breeches at the knee, tied the two sticks togethe
rwith it in such a way that they became a rude cross. He put it intoJack's hands, and gave him his knife also. "Now," he said, "look here!The thing I want you to notice first and foremost, lad, is the numberof guns. For every cannon, Jack, cut a nick on this long piece. Do yousee, Jack? For a regiment of foot cut a notch on the right arm. Theywill pass by in regiments, probably with a space between, for theyhave discipline enough to suit old Leslie, and so you will have notrouble with them. The horse you will not count easily, and may not beexact with them. Still, notch them on the other arm as well as youcan, troop by troop. If you get the cannon and foot regiments right, Ishall be able to guess the horse pretty nearly."

  "And then shall I bring it to you?" Jack said, gazing with childishpleasure at his new plaything.

  "Yes, as soon as you think that they have all passed. But do not be ina hurry. When you come, if you do not find me, leave the cross on thebank here under the moss. Do you understand now?"

  "Yes, I understand," said Jack.

  "It will not be the only thing hidden here," his brother continued."Look, lad, what do you think of that?"

  He displaced some overhanging moss with his hand, and Jack, lookinginto the crevice thus revealed, fairly gasped with surprise. "Why,they are----"

  "They are the gold vessels from Pattenhall Church!" Frank exclaimed,in a tone of triumph. "I have despoiled the spoilers! The woman whocame out with the light last night had them buried under yondertree--the one you can see at the end here. Come this way, and I willshow you! When I slipped out, fearing she might surprise me, I foundher at work covering something up with a spade. I watched her go, andthen as soon as it was light I tried my luck there. I found theselittle matters tied up in a napkin."

  "And you took them?" Jack said.

  "Took them? Of course I took them. I put three stones in the napkin inplace of them, and filled up the ground neatly. And one of these dayssome one will be disappointed."

  "Hush!" said Jack, raising his hand quickly. "What is that?"