me. Allowing for the
chance accessions of which any crowd is morally sure in a town where
there must always be a large number of idle and profligate persons,
one and the same mob was at both places. Yet they spread themselves
in various directions when they dispersed in the afternoon, made no
appointment for reassembling, had no definite purpose or design, and
indeed, for anything they knew, were scattered beyond the hope of future
union.

At The Boot, which, as has been shown, was in a manner the head-quarters
of the rioters, there were not, upon this Friday night, a dozen people.
Some slept in the stable and outhouses, some in the common room, some
two or three in beds. The rest were in their usual homes or haunts.
Perhaps not a score in all lay in the adjacent fields and lanes, and
under haystacks, or near the warmth of brick-kilns, who had not their
accustomed place of rest beneath the open sky. As to the public ways
within the town, they had their ordinary nightly occupants, and no
others; the usual amount of vice and wretchedness, but no more.

The experience of one evening, however, had taught the reckless leaders
of disturbance, that they had but to show themselves in the streets, to
be immediately surrounded by materials which they could only have kept
together when their aid was not required, at great risk, expense, and
trouble. Once possessed of this secret, they were as confident as if
twenty thousand men, devoted to their will, had been encamped about
them, and assumed a confidence which could not have been surpassed,
though that had really been the case. All day, Saturday, they remained
quiet. On Sunday, they rather studied how to keep their men within call,
and in full hope, than to follow out, by any fierce measure, their first
day's proceedings.

'I hope,' said Dennis, as, with a loud yawn, he raised his body from
a heap of straw on which he had been sleeping, and supporting his head
upon his hand, appealed to Hugh on Sunday morning, 'that Muster Gashford
allows some rest? Perhaps he'd have us at work again already, eh?'

'It's not his way to let matters drop, you may be sure of that,' growled
Hugh in answer. 'I'm in no humour to stir yet, though. I'm as stiff as
a dead body, and as full of ugly scratches as if I had been fighting all
day yesterday with wild cats.'

'You've so much enthusiasm, that's it,' said Dennis, looking with great
admiration at the uncombed head, matted beard, and torn hands