“There is a very pretty girl just gone into Sir Richard Warbeck’s mansion, and I want to get her into my possession as cleverly as possible.”
“Just so. And how do you intend to proceed?”
“Have you got any masks with you?”
“Yes; we have not long returned from a masque ball.”
“All right, then, we will call a carriage, and when we approach Sir Richard’s house, you four get out and hide the carriage round the corner. I will enter the mansion as if on business, and take good care to leave the door ajar. While I am talking to the old knight about his nephew, Ned, and the wild freaks he has been playing about town of late, you four enter, put on your masks, and if this pretty wench is not taken from the old knight’s abode in less than ten minutes, without noise, without causing any alarm or hubbub among the servants, I will have every one of you transported.”
So saying, the carriage they had hired drew up round the corner, and Colonel Blood stepped forward toward the house.
He knocked and rang loudly, and it was some time before the door was opened.
At length it was unlocked and opened by no less a person than Tim, the groom.
Directly he saw Colonel Blood, he would have run away, but the colonel seized him by the throat, and gave the unlucky youth such a shake as made his limbs to curl up like shavings.
“Make any noise, and I’ll choke you, villain,” said the colonel. “Where is your master!”