Jas. At last! safe at last from the yelping bloodhounds! By the Lord Harry, but of many bouts with death this is the bout that had like to have gone hardest with us, Reuben!
Dan. Who and what are ye, jail-birds?
Reu. Hark, sir! I think I hear them again! (Listening eagerly.)
Dan. (very loudly). Who and what are ye? (Going up to them.)
Jas. (listening). Hold thy fool’s tongue, or I’ll slit it!
Dan. But——
Reu. (placing his hand over Dan’l’s mouth). Nay, it is necessary that some one hold thy tongue, and if thou wilt not do it, I must!
Jas. Listen to me, my friend! (Reuben removes his hand from Dan’l’s mouth. He again attempts to speak, Reuben again gags him.) Nay, cover him up. He will hear the better for that he cannot give tongue the while. Now, keep thine ears open, for this concerns thee: We are proscribed Royalists, and you, miserable man, have harboured us, Heaven help you and, if we are taken here, I, and he, and thou will surely hang—I and he for our sins against the Parliament, thou—for thy virtue in aiding, abetting, and comforting us. Dost thou clearly understand me?
Reu. (with his hand still over Dan’l’s mouth). Dost thou clearly understand the Colonel? (Dan’l cannot answer. Reuben repeats his question loudly and angrily.) Dost thou clearly understand the Colonel?
Jas. (to Reuben). When thou desirest him to be silent it is well to gag him; when thou wouldst have him speak it is judicious to remove the gag!