CHAPTER VIII
EZRA MAKES UP HIS MIND TO A DANGEROUS VENTURE
The surly landlord of the "Indian's Head" danced into the centre of hispublic room, the expression of fear expanding upon his face.
"Gentlemen," he cried, appealing to Ezra and Pennington, "I demand yourprotection. I am beset by this man, who would kill me in my own house."
"If you prefer to have it so," spoke Scarlett with a swishing whir ofhis heavy blade, "I will dispatch you upon the lawn if you are possessedof one, or, in default of that, in the public road. I am of a liberalnature, and would as well please you as not in the place of your takingoff."
His agile point followed the churlish landlord in his caperings.
"Sir," cried the man, addressing himself to Pennington, "I crave you tospeak a word to this mad villain, who seems bound to spill my blood."
Pennington arose and was about to remonstrate with the young soldier;but the latter stopped before he had well begun.
"Have the goodness to keep your place," requested Scarlett, with aquick, fierce, unmistakable look. "There are some things, perhaps, thatI can be crossed in," here the look grew significant, "and made toappear cheap. But be assured, sir, that this is not one of them."
At once Pennington sank back upon the settle and again the landlordresumed his capering before the swift-moving sword point.
"Now, rascal," cried Scarlett, harshly, "will you do as I ask? Faith,I'm playing you easily enough; in Muscovy they'd have had your life forhalf this show of stubbornness."
"I tell you I know no such gentleman," cried the landlord. "How can Itell that which I know not?"
He whirled away before the brisk flash of the blade; and at the sametime he continued, addressing Pennington, meaningly:
"I beg of you, sir, for the last time, to persuade this man to let be. Iam but flesh and blood. I cannot withstand everything."
Again Pennington seemed about to interfere; but once more the fierceglance of Scarlett awed him. Then the latter shortened his weapon andglowered at the innkeeper.
"And I call upon you for the last time to tell me who this manPennington is!" he grated. "Quick now!"
The landlord's eyes sought for a means of escape; but he was hardpressed to make use of any that presented themselves.
"I will tell," he at length cried, desperately. "The man you want isthere."
His trembling finger indicated Pennington, who turned a shade paler, butsat composedly enough. Scarlett's sword point fell; he turned uponPennington and saluted him in a formal, military fashion, a satiricalsmile curling his moustache points upward.
"Sir," said he, "I am most pleased. I will not say that I expected asmuch, but I can say that I am not at all surprised."
Ezra watched the spy curiously. He saw him swallow once or twice in aneffort to speak. But finally he managed to resume control of his tongue.
"You have found me out, then," said he, and he smiled in a sicklyfashion. "I was interested to see just how long it would take you."
For all his speech faltered, his eyes were steady enough to threaten theinnkeeper for betraying him. But the man returned the look defiantly.
"I'll not be sworded to death, and you sitting by at your ease, neverlifting a hand," he declared sullenly.
Scarlett turned quickly upon the man.
"You have done your share to the furthering of the acquaintance of thisgentleman and myself, and I am obliged to you. So now, back to yourscullery and let us hear none of your protestations."
The innkeeper went quickly enough; he had had a taste of theadventurer's quality, and clearly desired no more of it. After he hadvanished into his kitchen, Scarlett sheathed his blade, struck anattitude with his feet very wide apart and hooked his thumbs into hissword belt.
"So, so, good and excellent sirs," said he with a lifting of his heavybrows. "It would seem that you have been making a laughing-stock of me."
"Nothing was further from my intention," Pennington hastened to say.
Disbelief was plain in Scarlett's face; he turned to Ezra saying:
"And what answer has your intimate?"
"None, other than that I am not his intimate. To the best of myknowledge," proceeded Ezra, "I have never met with this gentleman beforeto-night."
Gilbert Scarlett shot him a mingled glance of astonishment and regret.
"I was mistaken in you, then," spoke he. "I took you to be an upstandingyouth of much character and straightforwardness."
Ezra was about to speak in answer to this, but the young soldier wavedhis hand.
"Let me have no denials. I have eyes," and he gestured angrily. "Also, Ihave perception, though you both seem to doubt it."
"Sir," spoke Pennington, in a soothing tone, "you much deceive yourselfif you fancy that we have in any way sought to mislead you."
He leaned forward upon the settle, his legs crossed and his hands uponhis knees.
"Now," he proceeded, "I leave it to you as a gentleman of wideexperience and much service, to pass judgment upon what I am about tosay."
The adventurer unhooked his thumbs from his sword belt and twirled hismoustache. He said nothing in reply; but there was a sardonic look inhis face.
"I," and Pennington tapped his chest, "am the person whom your youngfriend here," with a nod toward Ezra, "was to inquire for. I acknowledgeit."
"It's overlate for frankness," said Gilbert Scarlett, grimly. "But, goon."
"I am able to say in perfect good faith," went on Pennington, "that Ihad no expectation of seeing him. Neither had I any notion that he knewanything of the affairs of Abdallah. As for my failure to acknowledge aconnection with the story which you told me a while ago, you surely canfeel no resentment for that. When a man is engaged in"--he paused andshrugged his shoulders--"well, in work of a more or less secretcharacter, it is not quite safe for him to speak freely with strangers."
The adventurer unbent his brows and his face altered in expression.
"Now," said he, "that is talk that holds much sense. It is clear to methat you could not do other than you did."
Then he turned to Ezra once more.
"Chance and circumstance seem to have taken you for their very own,"said he.
"Some things have befallen me of late days that make your saying seemlike the truth," said Ezra. "But my experience must be but a trifle, ascompared with what yours must have been, sir. I have no doubt but thatchance has figured much in your life."
"Why," answered the adventurer, "now that you mention it, it is trueenough. What great matter is it for a lad to chance along a lonelywagonway near to sundown, and meet with a horseman who has had anaccident befall him? And that you should chance to have the pleasure ofthis gentleman's acquaintance," indicating Pennington, "is, upon secondthought, not a matter to marvel at. Why, I recall, how, when I servedthe Turk at Cairo, I met with an adventure that must have seemed like amiracle of chance. Moslems are a strange people, but they grow strangerstill in their dealings with a Christian; and when that Christianhappens to be in command of a squadron of them----"
But he stopped upon the very verge of the adventure. Pulling up a chair,he seated himself in it and addressing Ezra, said:
"But let us come to this message which Abdallah gave you. As you camehere seeking Master Pennington, which I have no doubt you did, I supposeyou brought the writing with you."
During all which followed Scarlett's entrance with the innkeeper,Pennington's sharp glance kept shifting itself to Ezra. Now he spoke,eagerly:
"In that you bring us to a matter of consequence, sir. During yourabsence, we held some converse upon this very matter. And our youngfriend informed me that the dispatch is no longer in his possession."
Scarlett folded his arms across his chest in an easy sort of way, andreplied, lightly:
"I have no real knowledge of this affair, one way or the other, sir. Butfrom your manner, I take it that this circumstance is irritating."
"It is more than that," spoke Pennington. "It may be fatal. General
Gagewas expecting----"
But here he checked himself after the manner of a cautious man who hascaught himself in the midst of a dangerous admission.
Ezra, however, smiled.
"It is somewhat late," said he, "to try and conceal the dispatch'sultimate destination. Major Buckstone saw to my enlightenment at thevery start."
Pennington's hands clenched.
"You saw him then! The old idiot! He would discuss our plans with thecolonial council of war itself."
"I have not the good fortune of this gentleman's acquaintance," spokeScarlett, "but I think I know the type. The bluff old officer--honest asthe sun--who knows nothing but his routine and the well ordering of hiscommand. But," with a careless wave of the hand, "what matters it? Weare all friends, are we not? We are all fairly well gifted withunderstanding. So a trifle of plain talk will do no harm."
Pennington pondered and nodded reluctantly.
"In a way," said he, "you are right."
"A frank question or two, when needed, will have no bad result," saidthe adventurer. "And I think if they were applied here and now, we'dcome at something of profit, perhaps."
Pennington's face flushed.
"I am beholden to you, sir," said he, a trifle bitterly. Then turning toEzra he said: "Perhaps you will now tell us how you came to so part withthe papers entrusted to you?"
"Is it any great wonder," said Ezra, "that I did not safeguard a messagegiven me by people who later sought my life?"
He was determined to be as evasive as possible. If he hoped to come tothe true depth and breadth of this spy system, he knew that he must meetcraft with craft.
Pennington made no reply to this, but continued to sit and watch. Thesituation must have puzzled him; clearly he did not understand it.
But Scarlett was ready enough.
"For my part, I blame you but little," he said. "It was but a churlishway to treat a messenger."
There was a short pause; then the spy spoke.
"Might I ask," he inquired, "who this mysterious person is to whom youconfided this paper?"
Ezra shook his head and remained silent.
"As a grandson of Seth Prentiss," continued Pennington, "I am loth tobelieve you other than a friend to honesty and good government."
"And in that," returned the boy, "you would be right."
Scarlett here leaned forward.
"And was the gentleman to whom you entrusted the paper," asked he, "of alike inclination?"
"He was."
"Why, in that case," and the soldier of fortune laughed good-humoredly,"I don't think it any great matter. Let us but get word to the gentlemanand he'll take it to Boston himself, perhaps."
Pennington's eyes searched Ezra's face, and the boy replied:
"Perhaps so; I have heard him say that he meant to make his way intoBoston before long."
The hidden meaning of this must have left its trace in Ezra's voice, forPennington's gaze, if it were possible, grew keener.
"That may, perhaps, serve," said the man. Then he continued: "It sochances that I am left in a most peculiar position by your unexpectedconnection with this affair, Master Prentiss." There was concern in hisvoice as he went on. "It will be difficult for me to explain it to thoseto whom I must make explanation. And it will be equally difficult forthem to understand."
A thrill ran through Ezra. As plainly as day he read the purpose of theman in his crafty eyes. And, so it flashed upon him, as that purposewould help him in his own, he at once fell in with it.
"If I could but make my own explanation," he said, "it would greatlylighten your labor."
The eyes of the spy snapped.
"To do that you must needs go into Boston," he said. "Would you venturethat?"
"I have been there before," answered the boy. "And why not again? And Ithink this gentleman," nodding smilingly at Scarlett, "would also makethe venture if it could be accomplished."
"As well as not," said the soldier of fortune, carelessly. "One place ismuch like another to me."
There was triumph in Pennington's face as he arose.
"Excellent!" he cried. "Both of you shall cross the river to-night. Ihave the means at hand. And I will present you to those," here thehigh-pitched, disagreeable laugh rang out, "who will be delighted towelcome you."