148 REMINISCENCES OF A HUNTSMAN 



volunteered one or two sentences, which showed me at once 

 that he knew all about the transaction on the night on which 

 the keeper was shot, and then relapsed into such a snail's pace 

 that I had to inform him he must step out. On reaching Carleton 

 I saw a head peep forth of the blacksmith's shop, and had I had 

 any one into whose charge I could have delivered the prisoner, 

 the fact of my being able to capture the ringleader would then 

 and there have depended on who was the faster runner ; for, on 

 seeing me with the man in custody, the ringleader, as it was 

 afterwards proved, was reported involuntarily to have exclaimed, 

 " Here comes Mr. Berkeley with one on 'em in custody ! " and 

 rushing out into the back of the premises, he cleared a wall, and 

 broke away across the fields. I saw him, but had no means of 

 pursuit with the man then on my hands. We passed through 

 the village, and between Carleton and the bridge to Harrold 

 there are two or three little fields. In the midst of them we 

 met three men, evidently associates of the prisoner, for I 

 observed how quickly he saw them, and the effect it had on him 

 long before they met us. He paused and complained that the 

 cord hurt his arms, and said " he supposed I did not wish to put 

 him to unnecessary pain." I was perfectly awake to his momen- 

 tary idea of escape ; but, on looking to his arms, I was still 

 more alive to the thoughts he entertained, by discovering that 

 the cord had been loosened by him, so that, though it still 

 hampered, it did not entirely impede, the use of his arms. On 

 seeing this I drew from my pocket a lance-wood truncheon, such 

 as the London police use, held him still tighter by the collar, 

 and told him that the cord did not hurt him, that I would kill 

 him if he offered to escape, and that I would trouble him to 

 stop while I re-bound his elbows. I put my knee to his back 

 and drew in his elbows, while he seemed to hesitate what course 

 he should pursue. He was bound safely by the time his friends 

 came up, and, though he nodded to them, they did not seem 

 inclined to show me they knew anything about him. I took 

 him safely to Harrold Hall, and left him in the servants' apart- 

 ment, under the custody of my gamekeeper, while I repaired in 



