"I am feeling pretty peart, Mr. Judkins," he replied, in answer to my greeting. "That little punch Harrison gave me is almost well, and besides a slight twitching of the bones and some little stiffening of the joints, with a little pain shooting through them, I am feeling fine, sir. Yes, sir, feeling like a bird, sir. But where on earth did you get that English sword, and what brought you and your mother here so soon? Dunmore, for sure. No fear! The rascal passed down the river this morning and I don't think he will try coming up again. But what can we do without ships or guns? We gave them a dusting on the island, the other day, and lost poor Jim Horn and three niggers before leaving. Bullet and I had a hard time to get out, and Snake took a slight hurt."
"Yes, I heard all about it," I answered. And then Barron and I told how we were captured and taken aboard the vessels, and how Harrison had served my people at the Hall while we were absent.
The Major's eyes flashed as we told the story and his hand went nervously to his sword hilt. "I didn't hit him hard enough," he said fiercely, when we had told of the actions of the soldiers at the Hall.
While we continued speaking, we were interrupted by an uproar which arose from the street beyond the college, and on looking in that direction from which the sounds proceeded we suddenly saw the figure of a man, covered completely from head to foot with feathers, come running along the pavement towards us. Behind him came a howling mob, armed with every conceivable sort of weapon, and they pressed closely upon the runner's heels. The fugitive stopped suddenly in front of me and spoke out—
"If you'll give me that sword of mine for a few minutes, I think I might show these fools the absurdity of playing their infernal games upon one of his Majesty's soldiers," he said coolly, and I instantly recognized the voice of the corporal who had engaged us so hotly the day before. He was almost completely hidden under his coat of tar and feathers, and the only part of his face visible was his nose and eyes.
Barron and the Major burst into uncontrollable laughter, in which I joined.
But the man's tormentors were upon him before I had even time to consider his proposition. They surrounded him and began prodding him with sticks and bayonets, shouting and jeering in derision.
Bullbeggor was the first of us to recover himself. He drew his sword and struck his spurs into his powerful mare, making her spring forward through the crowd. He knocked down several men in his path and reined up alongside the prisoner.