"Is it my money you want, gentlemen?" demanded Wil ton; "for if it be, there is but little of it: but as much as I have is at your service."
"I ask, who are you?" replied the other. "I did not ask you for your money. Are you a King's officer? And which King's?"
"I am no King's officer," replied Wilton, "but a true subject of King
William."
"Pass on," replied the other man, dropping his pistol "you are not the person we want."
Wilton rode forward, very well contented to have escaped so easily; but he remarked that his servant was likewise stopped, and that the same questions were put to him also. He, too, was allowed to pass, however, without any molestation, and for the next half mile they went on without any further interruption. Then, however, they were met by a single horseman, riding at the same leisurely pace as the others; but he suffered Wilton to pass without speaking, and merely stopped the servant to ask, "Who is that gentleman?"
No sooner had the man given his name than the horseman turned round and rode after him, exclaiming, "Mr. Brown! Mr. Brown!"
Wilton checked his horse, and in a moment after, to his surprise, he found no other but the worthy Captain Byerly by his side.
"How do you do, Mr. Brown?" said the Captain, as he came up. "I have but a moment to speak to you, for I have business on before; but I wanted to tell you, that if you keep straight on for half a mile farther, and taking the road to the right, where you will see a finger-post, go into a cottage—that cottage there, where you can just see a light twinkling in the window over the moor—you will find some old friends of yours, whom you and I saw together the last time we met, and another one, too, who will be glad enough to see you."
"Who do you mean?" demanded Wilton, somewhat anxiously.
"I mean the Colonel," replied Captain Byerly.