46 WITH THE WOODLANDERS. 



" Where is he ? " 



"In the brewhouse, with two keepers looking after 

 him." 



" Confound the rascal ! Bring him into the gun- 

 room to me," said the Squire. 



When he was presented there " Ned " looked like 

 some animated scarecrow : his clothes had been 

 literally torn to pieces in the fierce struggle that 

 ensued before he was captured. For fear the poor 

 wretch might catch cold through the general airi- 

 ness of his vestments, his captors had given him a 

 couple of " horns " of the generous home-brewed ale. 

 From the way in which he occasionally placed his 

 hand to his side, giving himself a gentle rub, it was 

 quite evident also that he had received some heavy 

 "rib binders." His two captors had not had all 

 the fun on their side either, for one of them had a 

 lively " mouse " under each eye, and the other mate 

 had his mouth so altered that his pronunciation was 

 very much interfered with. 



" So you are here again, you rascal, are 

 you ? " 



" Yes, I be, Squire, but I wouldn't ha' come if 

 I could ha' perwented it like." 



