highwaymen were often in accord, dealt in one another's horses,
and drove various bargains at odd seasons and in odd corners of
the market-places; and Reuben Pemberthy was not unknown to them,
though they had treated him with scant respect upon a lonely country
road, and when they were impressed by the fact that he was riding
homeward with well-lined pockets after a day's huckstering. They
cheered Mr. Pemberthy's sentiments, all but the captain, who regarded
him very critically, although bowing very low while his health was
drunk.

"My cousin and my future bride, gentlemen will sing you another
song; and I don't mind following suit myself, just to show there is
no ill feeling between us; and our worthy captain, he will oblige
after me, I am sure. It may be a good many years before we meet
again."

"It may," said the captain, laconically.

"I--I cannot sing any more, Reuben," cried Sophie.

"Try, Sophie, for all our sakes; our home's sake--the home they
would strip, or burn to the ground, if they had only the chance."

"Why do you wish to keep them here?" Sophie whispered back to him.

"I was released by a troop of soldiers who were coming in this
direction," he said, hurriedly. They have gone on toward Finchley
in search of these robbers, but, failing to find them, they will
return here as my guests till morning. That was their promise."