A breathless group rushed up the blackness of a narrow entry to stand still awhile, and recover strength for fresh running. For a time nothing but heavy pants and gasps were heard amongst them. No one knew his neighbour, and their good feeling, so lately abused and preyed upon, made them full of suspicion. The first who spoke was recognized by his voice.
'Is it thee, Daniel Robson?' asked his neighbour, in a low tone.
'Ay! Who else should it be?'
'A dunno.'
'If a am to be any one else, I'd like to be a chap of nobbut eight stun. A'm welly done for!'
'It were as bloody a shame as iver I heerd on. Who's to go t' t' next fire, a'd like to know!'
'A tell yo' what, lads,' said Daniel, recovering his breath, but speaking in gasps. 'We were a pack o' cowards to let 'em carry off yon chaps as easy as they did, a'm reckoning!'
'A think so, indeed,' said another voice.
Daniel went on—
'We was two hunder, if we was a man; an' t' gang has niver numbered above twelve.'