When the soldiers, by his order, seized and manacled Walter, he protested vehemently against such outrage, and urged the general to prove his fidelity to his sovereign by administering to him the test oath, and the oath of abjuration; but this Clavers declined, and said to him, with a sneer, that “they had other ways of trying dogs beside that.”
When those who had been appointed to search the house came before him, and gave in their report, among other things, they said they had found as much bread new baked, and mutton newly cooked, as would be a reasonable allowance for an hundred men for at least one whole day. Clavers remarked, that in a family so few in number, this was proof positive that others were supported from that house. “But we shall disappoint the whigs of one hearty meal,” added he; and with that he ordered the meat to be brought all out and set down upon the green—bid his troopers eat as much as they could—feed their horses with the bread which they left, and either destroy the remainder of the victuals or carry them away.
It was in vain that Walter told him the honest truth, that the food was provided solely for himself and his soldiers, as he knew they were to come by that road, either on that day or the one following; nay, though all the family avouched it, as they well might, he only remarked, with a look of the utmost malignity, that “he never in his life knew a whig who had not a d‑‑d lie ready on his tongue, or some kind of equivocation to save his stinking life, but that they must necessarily all be taught who they were dealing with.” He then made them all swear that they were to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, and to utter the most horrid imprecations on themselves and their souls for ever, if they deviated in one single item; and beginning with old John, as before related, he examined them all separately and out of hearing of one another.
The interrogations and answers are much too long to be inserted here at full length; but the only new circumstances that came to light were these two. One of the young men deponed, that, when the bodies of the soldiers were found in the Hope, their muskets were all loaded, which showed that they had not fallen in a regular skirmish; and the other boy swore, that he had lately seen eighty large thick bannocks baked in one day in his father’s house, for that he had counted them three times over as they stood cooling. This was another suspicious circumstance, and Clavers determined to search it to the bottom. He sifted the two youths backward and forward, trying to get the secret out of them by every wile in his power; and because they were unable to give him any satisfactory account who consumed all that store of bread, he caused his dragoons to take hold of the youngest and gird his head with a cord, twisting it with a horse pistol, until in some places it cut him to the skull. The eldest he hung up to the beam by the thumbs until he fainted through insufferable pain; but he could get nothing more out of them, for they had at first told him all that they knew, being quite unconscious of any evil.
Still bent, as it seemed, on the full conviction and ruin of the family, he told the boys that they were two of the most consummate knaves and rebels that he had in all his life seen; and that if they had any hopes at all of going to Heaven, they should say their prayers, for in a few minutes he would order them both to be shot.
John, the eldest, who possessed a good deal of his mother’s feebleness of character, and was besides but newly recovered from a fainting fit, was seized with a stupor, appeared quite passive, and acted precisely as they bade him, without seeming to know what he did; but the youngest, whose name was William, preserved an interesting firmness, in such a trial, for a considerable time. On being advised by Clavers to tell all he knew rather than die, and asked if he was not afraid of death? He answered, with the tear in his eye, “I’m nouther feared for you nor death, man. I think if fock may be guidit this way at their ain hames, the sooner they’re dead the better.” Then turning his looks to his brother, who kneeled according to the general’s order on the green beside him, he added, with convulsive sobs, “But poor Jock’s gaun to be shot too—I wonder what ye need kill him for?—What ill hae we ever done t’ye?—Jock’s a very good callant—I canna pray weel, but if ye’ll let my billy Jock gang, I’ll pray for ye as I can, and kiss ye too.”
Happy was it for the wits of poor Maron that she saw nothing of this touching scene; she, as well as Walter, being then with the rest under a strong guard in the Old Room. Clavers paid no regard to the kneeling boy’s request. He caused his troopers to draw up around them, present their firelocks, and then an executioner, who was always one of his train, tied up both their eyes. He gave the word himself, and instantly ten or twelve carabines were discharged on them at once. John fell flat on the earth; but William, with a violent start, sprung to his feet, and, being blindfolded, ran straight on the files of soldiers.
Clavers laid hold of him. “My brave little fellow,” said he, “the soldiers have all missed you, bungling beasts that they are! and since so wonderful a thing hath befallen, you shall yet have your life, though a most notorious rebel, if you will tell me what people frequent your father’s house.”
“What’s comed o’ Jock?” said the boy, “O tell me what’s comed o’ Jock, for I canna see.”
“Jock is lying dead on the green there, all bathed in his blood,” said Clavers; “poor wretch! it is over with him, and unless you instantly tell me who it was that consumed all that store of bread that has been baked in your father’s house for the last month, you must be sent after him.”