o　do　with　the　poor　young　fellow'
  'Why；　many　a　better　fellow　has　roughed　it　on　the　grass　with　a　cloak　o'er　him；'　said　Crackenthorp。　　'If　he　hath　a　fever；　nothing　is　so　cooling　as　the　night　air。'
  'Yes；　he　would　be　cold　enough　in　the　morning；　no　doubt；　but　it's　a　kind　heart　and　shall　not　cool　so　soon　if　I　can　help　it；'　answered　the　captain　of　the　JUMPING　JENNY。
  'Well；　captain；　an　ye　will　risk　your　own　neck　for　another　man's；　why　not　take　him　to　the　old　girls　at　Fairladies？'
  'What；　the　Miss　Arthurets！　　The　Papist　jades！　　But　never　mind；　it　will　doI　have　known　them　take　in　a　whole　sloop's　crew　that　were　stranded　on　the　sands。'
  'You　may　run　some　risk；　though；　by　turning　up　to　Fairladies；　for　I　tell　you　they　are　all　up　through　the　country。'
  'Never　mindI　may　chance　to　put　some　of　them　down　again；'　said　Nanty；　cheerfully。　　'Come；　lads；　bustle　to　your　tackle。　　Are　you　all　loaded？'
  'Aye；　aye；　captain；　we　will　be　ready　in　a　jiffy；'　answered　the　gang。
  'Dn　your　captains！　　Have　you　a　mind　to　have　me　hanged　if　I　am　taken？　　All's　hail…fellow；　here。'
  'A　sup　at　parting；'　said　Father　Crackenthorp；　extending　a　flask　to　Nanty　Ewart。
  'Not　the　twentieth　part　of　a　drop；'　said　Nanty。　　'No　Dutch　courage　for　memy　heart　is　always　high　enough　when　there's　a　chance　of　fighting；　besides；　if　I　live　drunk；　I　should　like　to　die　sober。　　Here；　old　Jephsonyou　are　the　best…natured　brute　amongst　themget　the　lad　between　us　on　a　quiet　horse；　and　we　will　keep　him　upright；　I　warrant。'
  As　they　raised　Fairford　from　the　ground；　he　groaned　heavily；　and　asked　faintly　where　they　were　taking　him　to。
  'To　a　place　where　you　will　be　as　snug　and　quiet　as　a　mouse　in　his　hole；'　said　Nanty；　'if　so　be　that　we　can　get　you　there　safely。　Good…bye；　Father　Crackenthorppoison　the　quartermaster；　if　you　can。'
  The　loaded　horses　then　sprang　forward　at　a　hard　trot；　following　each　other　in　a　line；　and　every　second　horse　being　mounted　by　a　stout　fellow　in　a　smock　frock；　which　served　to　conceal　the　arms　with　which　most　of　these　desperate　men　were　provided。　　Ewart　followed　in　the　rear　of　the　line；　and；　with　the　occasional　assistance　of　old　Jephson；　kept　his　young　charge　erect　in　the　saddle。　　He　groaned　heavily　from　time　to　time；　and　Ewart；　more　moved　with　compassion　for　his　situation　than　might　have　been　expected　from　his　own　habits；　endeavoured　to　amuse　him　and　comfort　him；　by　some　account　of　the　place　to　which　they　were　conveying　himhis　words　of　consolation　being；　however；　frequently　interrupted　by　the　necessity　of　calling　to　his　people；　and　many　of　them　being　lost　amongst　the　rattling　of　the　barrels；　and　clinking　of　the　tackle　and　small　chains　by　which　they　are　secured　on　such　occasions。
  'And　you　see；　brother；　you　will　be　in　safe　quarters　at　Fairladiesgood　old　scrambling　housegood　old　maids　enough；　if　they　were　not　Papists；Hollo；　you　Jack　Lowther；　keep　the　line；　can't　ye；　and　shut　your　rattle…trap；　you　broth　of　a？　　And　so；　being　of　a　good　family；　and　having　enough；　the　old　lasses　have　turned　a　kind　of　saints；　and　nuns；　and　so　forth。　　The　place　they　live　in　was　some　sort　of　nun…shop　long　ago；　as　they　have　them　still　in　Flanders；　so　folk　call　them　the　Vestals　of　Fairladies　that　may　be；　or　may　not　be；　and　I　care　not　whether　it　be　or　no。　Blinkinsop；　hold　your　tongue；　and　be　dd！And　so；　betwixt　great　alms　and　good　dinners；　they　are　well　thought　of　by　rich　and　poor；　and　their　trucking　with　Papists　is　looked　over。　　There　are　plenty　of　priests；　and　stout　young　scholars；　and　such…like；　about　the　house　it's　a　hive　of　them。　　More　shame　that　government　send　dragoons　out　after…a　few　honest　fellows　that　bring　the　old　women　of　England　a　drop　of　brandy；　and　let　these　ragamuffins　smuggle　in　as　much　papistry　andHark！was　that　a　whistle？　　No；　it's　only　a　plover。　　You；　Jem　Collier；　keep　a　look…out　aheadwe'll　meet　them　at　the　High　Whins；　or　Brotthole　bottom；　or　nowhere。　　Go　a　furlong　ahead；　I　say；　and　look　sharp。These　Misses　Arthurets　feed　the　hungry；　and　clothe　the　naked；　and　such…like　actswhich　my　poor　father　used　to　say　were　filthy　rags；　but　he　dressed　himself　out　with　as　many　of　them　as　most　folk。Dn　that　stumbling　horse！　Father　Crackenthorp　should　be　dd　himself　for　putting　an　honest　fellow's　neck　in　such　jeopardy。'
  Thus；　and　with　much　more　to　the　same　purpose；　Nanty　ran　on；　increasing；　by　his　well…intended　annoyance；　the　agony　of　Alan　Fairford；　who；　tormented　by　a　racking　pain　along　the　back　and　loins；　which　made　the　rough　trot　of　the　horse　torture　to　him；　had　his　aching　head　still　further　rended　and　split　by　the　hoarse　voice　of　the　sailor；　close　to　his　ear。　　Perfectly　passive；　however；　he　did　not　even　essay　to　give　any　answer；　and　indeed　his　own　bodily　distress　was　now　so　great　and　engrossing；　that　to　think　of　his　situation　was　impossible；　even　if　he　could　have　mended　it　by　doing　so。
  Their　course　was　inland；　but　in　what　direction；　Alan　had　no　means　of　ascertaining。　　They　passed　at　first　over　heaths　and　sandy　downs；　they　crossed　more　than　one　brook；　or　beck；　as　they　are　called　in　that　countrysome　of　them　of　considerable　depthand　at　length　reached　a　cultivated　country；　divided；　according　to　the　English　fashion　of　agriculture；　into　very　small　fields　or　closes；　by　high　banks；　overgrown　with　underwood；　and　surmounted　by　hedge…　row　trees；　amongst　which　winded　a　number　of　impracticable　and　complicated　lanes；　where　the　boughs　projecting　from　the　embankments　on　each　side；　intercepted　the　light　of　the　moon；　and　endangered　the　safety　of　the　horsemen。　　But　through　this　labyrinth　the　experience　of　the　guides　conducted　them　without　a　blunder；　and　without　even　the　slackening　of　their　pace。　　In　many　places；　however；　it　was　impossible　for　three　men　to　ride　abreast；　and　therefore　the　burden　of　supporting　Alan　Fairford　fell　alternately　to　old　Jephson　and　to　Nanty；　and　it　was　with　much　difficulty　that　they　could　keep　him　upright　in　his　saddle。
  At　length；　when　his　powers　of　sufferance　were　quite　worn　out；　and　he　was　about　to　implore　them　to　leave　him　to　his　fate　in　the　first　cottage　or　shedor　under　a　haystack　or　a　hedgeor　anywhere；　so　he　was　left　at　ease；　Collier；　who　rode　ahead；　passed　back　the　word　that　they　were　at　the　avenue　to　Fairladies'Was　he　to　turn　up？'
  Committing　the　charge　of　Fairford　to　Jephson；　Nanty　dashed　up　to　the　head　of　the　troop；　and　gave　his　orders。'Who　knows　the　house　best？'
  'Sam　Skelton's　a　Catholic；'　said　Lowther。
  'A　dd　bad　religion；'　said　Nanty；　of　whose　Presbyterian　education　a　hatred　of　Popery　seemed　to　be　the　only　remnant。　　'But　I　am　glad　there　is　one　amongst　us；　anyhow。　　You；　Sam；　being　a　Papist；　know　Fairladies　and　the　old　maidens　I　dare　say；　so　do　you　fall　out　of　the　line；　and　wait　here　with　me；　and　do　you；　Collier；　carry　on　to　Walinford　bottom；　then　turn　down　the　beck　till　you　come　to　the　old　mill；　and　Goodman　Grist　the　Miller；　or　old　Peel…　the…Causeway；　will　tell　you　where　to　stow；　but　I　will　be　up　with　you　before　that。'
  The　string　of　loaded　horses　then　struck　forward　at　their　former　pace；　while　Nanty；　with　Sam　Skelton；　waited　by　the　roadside　till　the　rear　came　up；　when　Jephson　and　Fairford　joined　them；　and；　to　the　great　relief　of　the　latter；　they　began　to　proceed　at　an　easier　pace　than　formerly；　suffering　the　gang　to　precede　them；　till　the　clatter　and　clang　attending　their　progress　began　to　die　away　in　the　distance。　　They　had　not　proceeded　a　pistol…shot　from　the　place　where　they　parted；　when　a　short　turning　brought　them　in　front　of　an　old　mouldering　gateway；　whose　heavy　pinnacles　were　decorated　in　the　style　of　the　seventeenth　century；　with　clumsy　architectural　ornaments；　several　of　which　had　fallen　down　from　decay；　and　lay　scattered　about；　no　further　care　having　been　taken　than　just　to　remove　them　out　of　the　direct　approach　to　the　avenue。　　The　great　stone　pillars；　glimmering　white　in　the　moonlight；　had　some　fanciful　resemblance　to　supernatural　apparitions；　and　the　air　of　neglect　all　around；　gave　an　uncomfortable　idea　of　the　habitation　to　those　who　passed　its　avenue。
  'There　used　to　be　no　gate　here；'　said　Skelton；　finding　their　way　unexpectedly　stopped。
  'But　there　is　a　gate　now；　and　a　porter　too；'　said　a　rough　voice　from　within。　　'Who　be　you；　and　what　do　you　want　at　this　time　of　night？'
  'We　want　to　come　to　speech　of　the　ladiesof　the　Misses　Arthuret；'　said　Nanty；　'and　to　ask　lodging　for　a　sick　man。'
  'There　is　no　speech　to　be　had　of　the　Miss　Arthurets　at　this　time　of　night；　and　you　may　carry　your　sick　man　to　the　doctor；'　answered　the　fellow　from　within；　gruffly；　'for　as　sure　as　there　is　savour　in　salt；　and　scent　in　rosemary；　you　will　get　no　entranceput　your　pipes　up　and　be　jogging　on。'
  'Why；　Dick　Gardener；'　said　Skelton；　'be　thou　then　turned　porter？'
  'What；　do　you　know　who　I　am？'　　said　the　domestic　sharply。
  'I　know　you；　by　your　by…word；'　answered　the　other；　'What；　have　you　forgot　little　Sam　Skelton；　and　the　brock　in　the　barrel？'
  'No；　I　have　not　forgotten　you；'　answered　the　acquaintance　of　Sam　Skelton；　'but　my　orders　are　peremptory　to　let　no　one　up　the　avenue　this　night；　and　therefore'
  'But　we　are　armed；　and　will　not　be　kept　back；'　said　Nanty。　　'Hark　ye；　fellow；　were　it　not　better　for　you　to　take　a　guinea　and　let　us　in；　than　to　have　us　break　the　door　first；　and　thy　pate　afterwards？　　for　I　won't　see　my　comrade　die　at　your　door　be　as