“Yes; that’s the man we want to see, Jasper Ford; we’ve got a message for him.”
But the driver of the cart was a man who minded his own business, for he said nothing more. He seemed content to drop the children with a nod, at their destination, when they reached the mill by the bridge.
Robin knocked at the door stoutly. A young man opened it, and stood looking quietly out upon them. He had the swart face of a gipsy, and the dark hair and flashing teeth; but his eyes were set well under a broad brow, and looked out kindly upon you. So that Robin had no trace of fear and said: “This piece of paper’s for you, if you are Jasper Ford?”
Jasper read and re-read his bit of paper, the first time half-aloud; he was so earnest in his eager interest, so careful to decipher each word:
“Warn Doctor Thorpe’s household, rick-burning to-night, and robbery. Freedom.”
“Rick-burning to-night, and robbery! That means when the folk are all out to quench the fire, Bill and his lot will have the house to themselves. O, Freedom, if you would but have listened to me, and had nothing to do with the gang. But the Doctor, who Freedom owes her life to——” and Jasper thrust the paper in his pocket. “I must go, d’ye hear, youngsters? I must go now. Do ye sit and rest, and eat your bread and sop here, and I’ll come back and get your names from you when I return.”
“But tell us,” cried out Robin as Jasper turned to leave them, “tell us, how long does the fair go on; is it all over?”
“The fair? Why, the fair’ll go on till ten o’clock at night, youngsters: but you’d better be in bed by then.”
Mousie and Robin, well refreshed by food and drink, felt all their former zest for adventure returning.
“O, we’ll go to the fair, Mousie; it’s only half a mile further, and we’ll see all the shows after all.” And putting down the mugs and plates they had eaten from, Mousie and her brother left the mill.