serving wench into the distemper to see such signs upon the doors?
And if it break out in the midst of us, who can say where it will
end?"

It was Reuben Harmer who spoke, as Frederick very well knew. The
young men had been boys together, and as Reuben was two years the
elder, he assumed a tone in speaking which Frederick now keenly
resented. But it was no time to repel an overture of help, and he
sullenly forced himself to accept Reuben's good offices. The great
clotted periwig was with some difficulty got off, and then it was
possible to remove the worst of the tar from face and eyes.
Frederick at last could see clearly and breathe freely, but
presented so lamentable an object that he only longed to get safe
home to the shelter of his father's house.

The costly periwig of curls had perforce to be left in the gutter,
hopelessly ruined, and Frederick, who had given more money for it
than he could well afford, shook his fist at the house which
contained the redoubtable old woman who had thus fooled and bested
him.

"You Scourers will find that you can play your meddlesome games too
often," remarked Reuben sternly, his eyes upon the red cross and
the half-completed words above. "I would that all the city were of
the same spirit as Lady Scrope. She always keeps a quantity of hot
pitch or tar beside her bed, with a lamp burning beneath it, in
case of attacks from robbers. You may thank your stars that it
descended not boiling hot upon your head. Had she been so minded to
punish you, she would have done so fearlessly. You may be thankful
it was no worse."