A Lad of Grit: A Story of Adventure on Land and Sea in Restoration Times

he heavy blow that I had sustained, my boyish disposition speedily reasserted itself, and

d of Henry Martin. In my mind I pictured my worthy uncle taking me round the dockyard, showing me this and that vessel

st, and eagerly wished for the end of the nine long days that must pass ere I

ass, and on the evening previous to the eventful day of my departure, I climbed the steep as

numerable wood fires of the iron smelters' forges. It reminded me strangely of that eventful day, but a few weeks past, when I

, and before I reached the foot of the hill, where stands th

he horsemen were accoutred in breast- and back-plates and steel helmets, and from their sour visages I knew them to be Roundheads. Inside the carriage a candlelamp

ould remark much else the party had galloped past, and were well on their way along this southern highway towards Portsmouth. When I reached my hom

ent was too great. At length the two-horsed wain belonging to Farmer Hill drew up outside our house. By this conveyance I was

bed up beside the driver, and with many a handwave my ol

for my age, broad-shouldered and supple-limbed, I possessed an unusual amount of strength, and could bea

etch of downhill road commenced. At first I talked excitedly with the driver, a sour-faced, wizened man, whose short jerky answers, spoken in broadest S

, the driver exchanging a few angry words with

rom which hung something black. As we drew nearer I could see that the dark object was all that remained of what was once a man. The corpse, daubed

t there on the occasion of my last journey with my father to Peter

der, as if to note the effect that thi

ull well that I could not well m

'. 'Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed.'" And with this re

of his many pockets and produced a small object that looked like a leather purse. This he opened and pulled out a human finger, the stump being mounted w

lpox, plague, and all divers illnesses, for certain proof against the evil

r we drew up in the courtyard of the "Red Lion", where, since it was market day

e several soldiers, while in a corner of the courtyard was a ponderous coach, wh

t appeared. Apparently an accident had befallen the conveyance, for a smith

early hour, partaken of spirituous drinks, and, judging by their gestures and

n to make love to her in dumb show, kissing his hand and waving his iron

ar above the man's head, and, running backwards in a vain endeavour to catch it, he fell heavily into a large trough of pigs' mash, where, half-stunned

well; and as the sound of his footsteps was lost in the outside din, I fel

ed. I told him I was waiting for the chapman who travelled between Winton, Petersfield, an

room. It was panelled, and had thick oak rafters and low ceiling. Though the weather was warm, a large fi

it were a winter's day, while the third was spread out on the settle, gazing stolidly at his companions. They had

ncealed in a dark beard that grew so high on his cheek as almost to meet his eyebrows. Their clothes were old and ragged; their belongings were limited to a small bundle that was placed by

hey scowl that I turned hastily away and looked out of the window, where the brilliant sunshi

as a burly, good-natured farmer, who, after giving the three men a cheery

t their business is I know not. The men are free with everything but their own affairs. Not even spiced ale makes their tongues wag in that direction. Their masters say less. Stil

that Carver gave notice that on Tuesday he would go direct from Winton,

lated the landlord

then I asked if there were ot

n here for man and beast till Thursday, when a wa

and nights in this place was out of the questio

Tis a good eighteen miles. Were it any d

e care of my trunks till the Thursday; and,

ange, which the landlord counted slowly into my hand, I bade the kin

rise, evidently making for a gap between two lofty hills. Two miles brought me to the foot of the downs, wher

he summit of the road I found that the hillside still towered o

xtending far away to the North Downs. I could see the town of Petersfield nestling around the square tower of the old church. I could trace the du

y round the bend of the road by the base of the cliff appeared three men whom I

my mind that, having seen the landlord give me a sum

he hill betwixt them and me, I ran steadily but not too swiftly down the road. Even as I ran I took in my surroundings. In front was the long, white road, still descending till it turned to the left beyond a grass

ere even now running at full speed down the incline--not two hundred yards away

pressed closely against my sides, swung down the road in a vain ende

thought to leave the road and climb the steep, grassy slope on my left, and before my pursuers had turned the corner I wa

was the one with the scarred face, and, being in addition grimed with sw

eaponless, I looked around for some means of defence. Close to my feet was a large rabbit hole, and knowing from past experience that these animals frequently throw up flints and other stones from their burrows, I plunged my hand into the newly excavated earth, and to my delight found a large jagged flint,

ediately the black-bearded fellow and the man who had p

n the wealed-faced man outdistanced his companion

n the midriff. With a loud howl he dropped on his knees and pressed his hands to

owly edged away, intending to make a detour, regain the road, and then retrace my steps towards Petersfield; for I k

could follow the highway leading to the chalk cutting, and to my unbounded delight I saw for the

usty road, both tended to deaden the sound of the horses' hoofs and the dull

with an effort, the others, each with a knife in his hand, working away on either side with the intention of preventing my escape. As the bearded ruffia

ards him, intending to make a feint and then run towards the troopers. The man stood on his gu

down the hill. Suddenly my foot caught in a rabbit hole,

towards my prostrate body, and even as h

over himself three of the horsemen had spurred their steeds betwixt him and the rest of the troop. He l

ing from the effects of my fall, its two occupants looked

hen the elder of the two officers called to the serge

een. He of the scarred face was quickly captured, being well-nigh winded with the effects of the stone I had thrown; but the third was a more determined quarry, though, in his stupidity, instea

or alive!" shouted the officer, who looked upon

in pursuit of the fugitive. Too late the wretch saw his mistake, and again ran from the road towards a s

e chase, and soon we pulled up close to where the terror-stricken

er my largest snuffbox against thine tha

Now, men," he shouted, "remem

r line along the edge of the road, and ha

ing down a small avalanche of chalk and dust. Digging his hands into the yielding soil, the wretched man r

. This time, whether hit or not, the man slid some six feet downwa

eant. "If you fire like that, who can

n made a feeble attempt to regain his former position, but ere he had ascended another two feet a shot s

sure that life was extinct, then returned to the door of the coach, an

reward, then, turning to his companion, wit

a close, and the two officers, learning that I was on m

wo of their number, and the cavalcade passed onwards, leaving

he older of the two officers was about forty years of age, bronzed with the sun and wrinkled with exposure to the weather. His blue eyes tw

pur of the moment rather than to be ruled by deliberate counsel. He was addressed as Middleton by his companion, but I could not then gather what was the name o

nger of the twain gave his companion a wink that did not escape me, and rem

boasted of the name of Horndean. Here we rested the horses, my two benefactors going into the inn, from whic

a short, steep incline and then plunging into a dense wood,

ollow, where the shade made a blind

wed by a sound of scuffling, a score of ro

ing me from my seat, while the others jumped

re into a thicket on the left-hand side of the road, while one of t

nderwood, encouraged by the voice of the sergeant shouti

more pistol-shots, and then quietness, broken at length by the return of the troopers bearin

his officer. "Who is this? 'Tis

e that had been stretched between two trees on opposite sides of the road was dropped, and, catching the unfortunate soldier under the chin, hurled him and his prisoner to the ground. In a moment a party of men ha

the confusion that followed had made good their retreat, with o

is rescuers was a redeeming feature of the fray, and the latest captive

ous devices, while on his chest, exposed during the scuffle, a death's-head and cross-bones were crudely drawn. When questioned

pirate. Whether he be of Poole or Weymouth 'tis all the same. Far rather would I meet Dutchman or Frenchman in fair fight than be cast ashore on th

announced that the maimed animal's sufferings were ended, and the troopers, with their two prisoners now

mmit of Portsdown, a long stretch of chalky do

for a few trees and some scattered houses there was little to break the dreariness of it, while, the tide being out (as I afterwards learnt), long expanses of mud on either side increased this aspect of monotonous desolation. At the far end of the is

nd also of the sea, and I must confess

ow separated us from the town, and on approaching it I saw a large mound of earth, called the Town Mount, crowned by fortifications and

uses, the whole being dominated by the ma

ldiers, and as we entered the town my first impression

rows of pikemen with their eighteen-feet weapons riveted my attention till I was recalled to my senses by being dismissed by my benefact

of a tall, gabled house, where,

face that a well-trimmed beard partially concealed. His face was pitted with smallpox, but his eyes, though swol

r his enquiring gaze. Neither did he speak; so, driven to desperation, I at len