Godfrey and poor Scar being alive?"
Colonel Forrester did not reply, but turned away with his brow full ofdeep furrows; and feeling as if everything like happiness was at an end,Fred turned away from the scene of desolation, and walked up toward thelittle camp on the hill, wondering how it would be possible to conveythe terrible tidings to the two who must be suffering a very martyrdomof anxiety at the Manor.
"I could not do it. I dare not," muttered Fred. "And besides, it istoo soon. There may be hope."
But as he said those last words to himself, he pictured the woundedfather defended by his son, and then the rushing flames, and he groanedin spirit as he felt how hopeless it all seemed.
"Heard all the news, Master Fred, I s'pose?"
Fred started, for he had not heard the approach of Samson.
"No; I have heard nothing. I have been with my father at the ruins."
"I was there at 'bout six o'clock, sir. Couldn't have thought the oldplace would have burnt so fast."
"But you said news, Samson?" cried Fred, eagerly. "Not news of them?"
"No, sir; not news of them," replied Samson, sadly. "News of ourstopping here for the present."
"No."
"Well, sir, I hear that's to be it, unless a stronger party comes anddrives us away. Seems to me as we're like the little ones playing kingo' the castle; and no sooner is one up a-top than another comes andpushes him down. But, Master Fred; had your breakfast, haven't you?"
"Yes," said Fred, whose thoughts were at the ruins.
"So have I, sir. Well, look here, sir; I want to see whether the slugsand snails have been at that there food in the wood. What do you say togoing to see?"
"We cannot go till night, Samson," said Fred, sadly.
"Yes, we can, sir. Look here; I'll cut a couple o' long willows, andget some worms in the Hall garden, and I dare say I can find a basket.Then let's you and me go careless like to the far end of the lake, justas if we were going to try for a fish or two, and nobody will notice usthen. Once we are there, we can creep up through the bushes to thewilderness, and get that bit o' food."
"And see if your brother is better?"
"Nay, nay; I'm not going to take all that trouble 'bout such a fellow ashim, sir. 'Tis 'bout that food I'm thinking. Shall we go, sir?"
"Yes, Samson, yes; and look here: don't try to deceive me like this,because it will not do."
"Oh well, it never was no use to argue with you, sir, when you was aschoolboy. Now you're a young officer, you're harder still. There, I'mnot going to say any more; but is it likely I should do all this 'boutan enemy, unless it was to make him a prisoner? There, I'm off to getthem rods and worms."
Samson went across to the Hall garden, and shortly afterwards reappearedwith a pot and basket.
"We can get the two rods somewhere down by the lake," he said; and oneof the sentinels as he stood, firelock in hand, smiled grimly, andthought of how he would like to leave his monotonous task, and go downto the lake side to fish, after the fashion he had so loved when a boy.
This man watched them right to the edge of the water, where he sawSamson select and cut two long willow rods, and strip them clean of leafand twig before shouldering them, and marching on beside his master.
"It's well to be them," grumbled the man, "for who knows whether inthese days of bloodshed a lad may ever have a chance to fish again?"
He shouldered his firelock, and continued his slow tramp to and fro,looking out for the enemy, but more often turning his gaze toward hisfishing friends.
"Bring the hooks and lines, Master Fred?" said Samson, as they went ontoward the west end of the lake.
"Hooks and lines? No."
"Well, sir, we can't fish without lines. Didn't I tell you to get 'emwhile I got the worms?"
"No."
"Well, now, that's strange. But I did mean to, sir. What are we to do?Go back?"
"No, no! Don't let's waste time."
"But we can't catch no fish without a hook."
"We don't want to catch any fish."
"But we want people to think we do."
"Yes; and if they see us with rods down by the water, they will thinkso."
"More stoopids they, sir. I needn't carry this here ugly pot o' wormsand the basket, then, no longer, sir?"
"Yes, you must. Don't throw them away. We had better keep up the lookof being fishermen."
"Very well, sir; just as you like. But I say, Master Fred, what's thegood of all this? Don't let's go."
"Not go?"
"I don't see why we should take the trouble to go and look after afellow like Nat. He never was any credit to me, and he never will be.Like as not, if he gets better, he'll give me a topper."
"Come along, and hold your tongue, Samson. Do you suppose I can't seethrough you?"
"Yes, I do, sir," said Samson, with a chuckle. "Chap did try to make ahole through me just after we turned soldiers, but it's all grown upagain. I say, Master Fred, though, ser'us--think Nat is alive?"
"Yes, of course, poor fellow! No, don't hurry now. Some one may bewatching us. Let's pretend to be picking out a good place."
"Poor fellow!" grumbled Samson, as he obeyed, and began holdingoverhanging boughs aside and leaning over the water. "Don't supposeyou'd say, `Poor fellow!' if I was to be lying wounded there, MasterFred."
"No, of course not," said Fred, angrily; "I should say I was very gladto get rid of you, and I wouldn't stir a step to bring you bread orwater or anything."
Samson stopped short, and burst into a roar of laughter.
"What's the matter, now?" cried Fred, wonderingly.
"Oh, you can tell 'em when you like, sir," cried Samson. "Haw, haw,haw! No, no, no; you won't get me to believe that. But let's get on,sir; we're 'bout out o' sight of the sentries. No; there's one lookingat us over the hill. Let's sit down just yonder, and seem to begin."
A glance casually taken showed the wisdom of this proceeding, and onechose a spot by a tree, the other went twenty yards further toward thewood, and they began to go through the motions of people fishing,changing their places from time to time, Samson passing right on beyondFred, and the latter after a few minutes going on past Samson, till theywere well in among the trees, and not far from the steep rocky bankwhere the passage came down to the lake.
For the first time since the discovery, Fred went on without recallingthat day when they drained the place, for he was too eager to go insearch of Nat, who must be, he felt sure, lying somewhere in the wood,weak and suffering, and praying for their help.
"Now," said Samson, at last, "let's carry our rods a little way in andhide 'em with the basket, ready for us when we've done. I may pitch thepot o' worms away now, sir, mayn't I?"
"No, no; put them with the basket. There, in that bush--that's theplace."
The rods were thrust in amongst the thick undergrowth, and then Fredtook a final look round, seeing nothing, and then leading the way,easily enough now by day, for the displaced twigs showed to theirpractised eyes where they had passed before.
But even now it was no easy task to achieve before they came to thefallen oak, with its two mighty trunks, the one living, the other dead.
Then they stopped--startled; for there was a loud rustling, the leavesand twigs were forced apart, and for the moment they felt that they werediscovered.
"Only a rabbit," said Samson, coolly, as the sound died away. "What anoise them little chaps can make, Master Fred! Go along."
"No, no; stop," cried Fred.
"It was only a rabbit, sir."
"Yes, I know; but don't you see?"
"See what, sir?"
"If there have been rabbits here, it's a sure sign that Nat is not inhis hiding-place."
"Yes; I didn't think of that," said Samson, taking off his steel cap togive his head a scratch. "Never mind, sir; go on. He may have beenback and gone out for a walk. It's just like him; being as awk'ard andcontrary as can be."
Fred hesitated a moment or two, a
nd then, feeling depressed anddisappointed, thinking that the poor faithful follower of the Markhamswas sharing their misfortunes, and perhaps lying dead hidden among thebushes, he took a step or two further on, pressed the twigs aside, andpeered into the verdant tunnel Nat had made his temporary home.
"He is not here," he said sadly, as he crept in.
"Nor yet been there,