“No matter,” said the first; “I know it, and any couple of good stout fellows who would watch for him at eight o’clock would be sure to find him.”
“Yes, but they must first know that he poaches, and be able to prove it on him.”
“Well, of course; but that’s soon done by a keeper that will have a quick eye upon him.”
Tom had now heard enough. His lingering and story-telling here had been no loss of time. He drank off his beer, made his bow to the farmers, and shuffled off. He followed the man with the bottle, saw him take a cart road through the woods, and, keeping within the trees, followed till he saw the cottage, and the man enter it. “Good,” said he; “now I know my lesson.” Tom lost no time in changing his clothes, and washing his face in a pool. He then thrust his wallet, with the old ragged toggery, into a large gorse-bush, and, like a smart servant out of livery, and in a neat Glengarry cap instead of a hat, cut across the country to the great Leicester road, and by coach next day was at Hillmartin, where he got down and walked to Woodburn.
Great was the exultation at Tom’s success. It was soon arranged that Tom, with Job Latter, the constable blacksmith, Ralph Chaddick, Sir Henry’s keeper, and Luke Palin, Sir Henry’s groom,—Latter the strongest, and the two others the most active young fellows of the neighbourhood,—should set out before light in the morning; two in a spring cart, and two on horseback, and should make all speed to the place of Scammel’s retreat. It was calculated that they could reach the neighbourhood by evening, and, putting up their horses at a neighbouring village, be ready for the eight o’clock enterprise. All this they readily accomplished, and so anxious were Sir Henry and George Woodburn that they rode thither themselves.
The proximity of the woods to the woodman’s house, rendered it easy to watch Scammel’s movements, and very little after the time named by the farmer they saw his well-known tall figure coming down the heath, and enter the house. “The first thing,” said Sir Henry, “on rushing into the house, look out for Scammel’s gun, and seize it if you can, or, if he have time, he will give one of you the charge.” It was now at the end of September, getting fast dark, and the four men, taking a little, cautious circuit, came up at the back of the house. The window-shutters were not closed, and, by the light of the fire, they saw Scammel seated facing the hearth, with his back towards them. His gun was laid on a table at his right hand. The woodman and his wife were seated by the chimney, to the left of Scammel, and had each a mug of ale in their hands. At once there was a rush. Scammel started up, but only to be pinioned by Latter’s iron gripe; his gun, towards which he stretched out his hand, was adroitly drawn back by Luke Palin. In another moment there was a tremendous struggle. Scammel, who possessed enormous strength, twisted himself partly loose, by a violent effort, from Latter’s clutch, and came face to face, but it was only to be caught in a hug worthy of a great grizzly bear of the American forests, whilst Palin and Chaddick also closed upon him. The struggle was then furious. Scammel put forth his huge strength; he kicked, he bit, he foamed at the mouth, and swore terribly. But Latter held fast as a vice to him, and Chaddick drew a noose round his ankles, and forcing them together, prevented his ferocious kicks. It was, however, like four fierce beasts writhing and raging together; but at length Scammel was thrown, and Latter fell upon him, whilst Chaddick and Palin bound faster round his legs their strong cords; and at length the savage ruffian, giving in as beaten, and lying stupid and speechless, they managed to roll him over, pinion his arms securely behind him, and thus had him at their mercy. During all this time the woodman and his wife stood helpless and trembling. The light spring cart was soon brought by Boddily and Palin through the wood and over the heath; Scammel was hoisted in, and Sir Henry Clavering and George Woodburn came and took a view of him. There the great strong fellow lay on the straw at the bottom of the cart with his eyes shut, and his features, rendered almost black with rage, wore a sullen air of dogged endurance. Having seen their criminal secured, Sir Henry and George rode away with great satisfaction.
Before leaving, inquiries were made after the Shalcrosses by Boddily and his companions, but either the woodman and his wife knew nothing, or would say nothing, though offered money.
By the next afternoon the party had managed to reach Cotmanhaye Manor, where Simon Degge was ready to assist Sir Henry in hearing the charge against Scammel, for Hopcraft was now arrested, and, on hearing of Scammel’s being secured, was all eagerness to prove him the murderer. The magistrates had heard Hopcraft once this forenoon, who had sworn that Scammel had committed the murder at the Ferry, precisely as described in Dr. Leroy’s letter, and Hopcraft excused himself by saying that Scammel had taken him by surprise, and then swore to murder him too if he said anything. As for himself, he vowed that he had taken no part in the murder. He had only seen it in terror and fear of his own life.
“But,” said the magistrates, “you helped to throw Mr. Drury into the river, and you accepted part of the money.”
Hopcraft was dreadfully frightened to hear that this was known, and said, “But the man was dead when he was thrown into the river, and what could I do? He would have murdered me if I had refused either that, or to take some of the money.” Hopcraft was remanded till the arrival of Scammel, and he was now ordered up. The magistrates were seated in the library looking on to the lawn. As the afternoon was one of those so intensely hot about three o’clock in September, one of the French windows was left open. The prisoner, bound fast in all the coils of cords in which he had been enveloped on his capture, was carried in by two of the men and laid in the middle of the floor. Around stood Palin, Latter, Chaddick, and Boddily, all bearing obvious traces of their exertions for nearly two days and a night. Besides, there were several men-servants of the house.