Yet give me but a pistol, and one rich squire or two,
A moonlight night, a yellow chaise, and the high road will do."
This was not the last song that was sung; but that which followed was interrupted by one of the pseudo-labourers coming in from the yard, to say that there was a hard knocking at the gate.
"I think it is Mr. Radford's voice," added the man, "but I'm not sure; and I did not like to get up into the cart to look."
"Run up stairs to the window, Jinny!" cried old Ramley, "and you'll soon see."
His daughter did, on this occasion, as she was bid, and soon called down from above, "It's old Radford, sure enough; but he's got two men with him!"
"It's all right, if he's there," said Jim Ramley; and the gates were opened in a minute, to give that excellent gentleman admission.
Now, Mr. Radford, it must be remembered, was a magistrate for the county of Kent; but his presence created neither alarm nor confusion in the house of the Ramleys; and when he entered, leaving his men in the court for a minute, he said, with a laugh, holding the father of that hopeful family by the arm, "I've come to search, and to stop the others. Where are the goods?"
"Safe enough," answered the farmer. "No fear--no fear!"
"But can we look under the trap?" asked Mr. Radford, who seemed as well acquainted with the secrets of the place as the owner thereof.