ver for an instant checked.

As the main body filed off from this scene of action, and passed down
Welbeck Street, they came upon Gashford, who had been a witness of their
proceedings, and was walking stealthily along the pavement. Keeping up
with him, and yet not seeming to speak, Hugh muttered in his ear:

'Is this better, master?'

'No,' said Gashford. 'It is not.'

'What would you have?' said Hugh. 'Fevers are never at their height at
once. They must get on by degrees.'

'I would have you,' said Gashford, pinching his arm with such
malevolence that his nails seemed to meet in the skin; 'I would have you
put some meaning into your work. Fools! Can you make no better bonfires
than of rags and scraps? Can you burn nothing whole?'

'A little patience, master,' said Hugh. 'Wait but a few hours, and you
shall see. Look for a redness in the sky, to-morrow night.'

With that, he fell back into his place beside Barnaby; and when the
secretary looked after him, both were lost in the crowd.

Chapter 53

The next day was ushered in by merry peals of bells, and by the firing
of the Tower guns; flags were hoisted on many of the church-steeples;
the usual demonstrations were made in honour of the anniversary of the
King's birthday; and every man went about his pleasure or business as
if the city were in perfect order, and there were no half-smouldering
embers in its secret places, which, on the approach of night, would
kindle up again and scatter ruin and dismay abroad. The leaders of the
riot, rendered still more daring by the success of last night and by
the booty they had acquired, kept steadily together, and only thought of
implicating the mass of their followers so deeply that no hope of pardon
or reward might tempt them to betray their more notorious confederates
into the hands of justice.

Indeed, the sense of having gone too far to be forgiven, held the timid
together no less than the bold. Many who would readily have pointed out
the foremost rioters and given evidence against them, felt that escape
by that means was hopeless, when their every act had been observed by
scores of people who had taken no part in the disturbances; who had
suffered in their persons, peace, or property, by the outrages of the
mob; who would be most willing witnesses; and whom the government would,
no doubt, prefer to any King's evidence that might be offered. Many of
this class had deserted their usual occupations on the Saturda