The New Forest Spy Part 15

"And I tell you you haven't half searched," cried the constable. "You must get ladders and go all over the roof. I daresay he's hiding in the ivy."

"Beg pardon, sergeant," said one of the men. "Didn't the good gentleman say something about some lunch?"

"To be sure I did," said Waller, "and it will be ready in the kitchen by now."

"Thank you, sir," said the sergeant grumpily. "I suppose we shall be obliged to have a look at the roof from outside. I don't want to be reported to my captain for not having done my duty. But look here, Mr Constable," and to Waller's great relief the man turned his back upon him and faced Gusset, while the boy felt as if he was turning white, and his hands grew moist. "You gave information," continued the sergeant, "and it seems to me that this is more your job than mine. How are we to get up on the roof?"

"Ladder, of course," cried Gusset eagerly. "They have got long ones here that they use for the apples and stacks. You must get up out at the back."

"Oh, oh, oh!" groaned Waller to himself. "I should like to have you out at the back!"

"Oh, very well," said the sergeant. "Out with you, my lads, and let's get it over," and, as the men marched out, following the constable, who seemed quite at home in the geography of the house, the sergeant stopped to speak to Waller.

"There, sir, you see I can't help myself, so don't blame me."

"No," said Waller; and, in spite of his efforts, his voice sounded very strange. But the man had turned away, and did not heed.

Gusset led the way into the big, open yard at the back, and, acting under his directions, the soldiers followed to a low shed, beneath which one of the long, thin, tapering ladders with straddling legs, used in country places, hung upon two great iron pegs against the wall.

"There you are," said Gusset. "Bring it out! Quick!"

"Here, I say," snarled one of the men he addressed, "who are you ordering about? You are not our sergeant."

"There, don't talk, my lads," cried that individual, coming up. "Bring the ladder out and heave it up against that side of the house where the roof slopes."

At that moment the gardener, who had, as it were, been taken by surprise, and in the rear, came hurrying round from where he had been waiting by the porch in a great state of excitement.

"Here, I say! Hold hard there!" he cried. "What are you doing with my ladder? Let it be! I don't want that broke."

He turned to Waller as if to ask him to put a stop to it, but the boy avoided his gaze, thrust his hands deeply into his pockets, and stood frowning.

"Here, don't you interfere, Joe Hanson; you will be getting yourself into trouble," spluttered Gusset, in his husky voice; and he unconsciously blew out his cheeks and opened his eyes wider as he took a fresh breath. "This here's all in the King's name."

"King's name!" cried the gardener sharply as he lifted his blue serge ap.r.o.n and began to twist it up in a tail to tuck up round his waist.

"What's the King's name got to do with it? I am talking about my ladder."

"There, there, gardener," said the sergeant, "don't stop us. I want to get this job done. My boys don't understand ladders like you do; perhaps you wouldn't mind pitching it up against the roof?"

"Oh, very well, sergeant," replied the gardener; "I don't mind when I am asked civilly, but I am not going to have all the country cobblers in Hampshire coming into my yard and meddling with the tools as is in my charge. Here, that's not the way, swaddy," he continued, joining the two soldiers, who, each still holding his musket in his hand, were fumbling awkwardly with the long ladder in carrying it across the yard.

He smiled good-humouredly at the two stiff-strapped and buckled-up men, and took hold of the ladder about the middle.

"There, drop its heel on the ground," he said, "and one of you put your foot on the bottom round."

The soldier promptly obeyed, and the next minute, as the straddling bottom of the ladder was kept down, the gardener ran his hands along beneath it, thrusting it upward round by round till it was perpendicular, when, grasping it firmly, one hand low down and arms outstretched to the fullest extent, he walked quickly across the yard, planted the ladder down close to the house, and let the top fall away from him with a gentle _whish_ amongst the ivy.

"Well done!" cried the two soldiers admiringly; and the gardener came away smiling with self-satisfaction at the men's admiration of his skill.

"Oh," he said to the sergeant, "it's easy enough when you know how."

"That's so, my lad," said the sergeant. "There's nothing like having a man who understands his tools."

Waller still stood frowning and rattling his knife, the key, a piece of curb chain, and a few other odds and ends in the bottom of his pocket, furtively watching the fat constable the while, till he caught sight of the sergeant looking at him, ready to half close his eye in a knowing wink.

"That'll about do," said Gusset; and he looked up to the top of the ladder, half hidden amongst the cl.u.s.tering ivy, then down at the two men, and, lastly, at the sergeant.

"Now, then," he said, in his unpleasant, husky voice, "it's no use to waste time. Somebody had better go up."

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN.

A HOT SCENT.

"To be sure," said the sergeant sharply. "Well, we are waiting. You know the way better than we do. Up you go."

The constable turned upon him in astonishment, blowing out his cheeks and seeming to make his eyes roll, while his naturally rotund figure began more and more to a.s.sume the appearance of a fat cork float.

"Me! Me! Me go up there!"

"To be sure," said the sergeant. "You country chaps are used to this sort of thing. My lads are not. Scaling ladders is more in our way, and they are bad enough when you have got to carry your Brown Bess."

"To be sure," said the gardener, chiming in, with a grin of satisfaction. "That's right enough, sergeant. Up you go, Fatty!"

"You will get yourself into trouble, Joe Hanson," said the constable pompously. "This here's the second time I have warned you. You, sergeant--you know I can't get up there at my time of life, and it's your duty to send your men. I order you, in the King's name, to search that roof."

"Oh, very well," said the sergeant gruffly. "Here, number one and two, stand your muskets up against the wall. No, one of you only. You, Jem Cogan; you are a light one. Up you go. You are not quite so heavy as the constable here."

"Haw! haw! haw!" laughed the gardener. "That's a good one!" And he bent down to slap his knees, while, to the constable's great disgust, the hoa.r.s.e laugh was echoed in the shape of a t.i.tter uttered by the two maids, who had come to the back kitchen door.

Gusset blew out his cheeks again, and moved slowly towards the foot of the ladder, where, as the soldier placed his musket against the sill of one of the lower windows and then began lightly to ascend, Gusset set his feet very far apart, as if in imitation of the ladder, planted his fat hands upon his hips, and began to follow the private's movements, leaning somewhat back the while.

All at once there was a quick movement in the little group round the foot of the ladder, for, partly moved by the spirit of mischief, as well as by the intense desire to create a diversion, Waller made a rush.

"Hold hard a minute, soldier!" he shouted. "I know the way best; let me come first."

As he spoke he literally charged at the constable, who was now leaning backwards a little out of his perpendicular, and came heavily in contact with him, forcing the man to make a s.n.a.t.c.h at one of the rounds to save himself from falling.

The next moment the top of the ladder began to glide sideways, describing an arc as it rustled through the ivy. The mounting soldier, feeling it go, made a jump to alight upon his feet, but, not having time to properly judge his distance, he came down upon the constable instead, and there followed a short scuffle, out of which Waller was the first to gain his feet, to turn savagely upon the heavy, sitting man, and exclaim, amidst roars of laughter:

"Why did you do that?"

"Yes," shouted the gardener; "I saw him pull it over. Just look here, Master Waller! Here's my beautiful new ladder snapped in two!"

It was a fact. There lay the pieces; and the soldier, whose face had flushed with rage, but who was not hurt, now joined in the laughter of those around, while the constable still sat looking piteously about, as if for the sympathy that did not come.

The sergeant was the next to speak; as he bent over and held out his hand.