e and numerous audience, who all retired to their homes in
peace, much gratified with the exhibition, and duly impressed with a
deep sense of the blessing of being permitted to vegetate under the
protection of a government so wise in its councils, so strong in
_execution_, and so paternal in its care for the morals of the people.
So said the newspapers next day; and thus ended the career of a
heartless ruffian, it is true, but who had ever sought to make him
otherwise?

To proceed with our tale. Day was now fast breaking; and as the cortege
moved away with their prisoner, two horsemen appeared on the cliffs
above, and dismounting, watched the party with eager but disappointed
looks. They were the old seaman and Edward Barnett, the village
landlady's eccentric nephew.

'A plague upon my awkward riding,' said the seaman, 'we are too late!
They have taken him, and that rascal too with him! Fool that he was to
place any confidence in such a hound.'

'He had been kind to Tom's mother,' said Edward, 'and he supposed that
gratitude.'

'Bah!' said the sailor; 'when you have buffeted as many of the storms of
life as I have, you will learn that gratitude is rarely found on
earth--least of all in such a brutified nature as that fellow's. But why
do I blame him? He was but what the law made him. Punished for a venial
fault--sent to herd with hardened malefactors, is it wonderful that he
should become schooled in crime? And now the law will punish the
criminal it made. We can do no good here--we had best proceed to Erith.
I have much to say to you, and much to do. But fear not; Hunter shall
not perish without an effort, even if I tear him from the gallows.' So
saying, he remounted, and the two slowly pursued their way towards
Erith.

CHAPTER VI.

THE BEGINNING OF RETRIBUTION.

The seaman and his young companion were seated together in a little room
overlooking the sea, on the evening succeeding the events we have
related. It was one of those calm, lovely evenings when summer, seeming
loth to give over her reign to the approaching fall, exerts herself to
display her utmost beauty, and withholds her scorching heat. The
declining sun gave a rose colored tint to the landscape, and the vessels
passing to or from the modern Babylon added animation to the scene. The
mariner was gazing at the distant horizon, lost in thought. That
memories of other days were recalled to his mind, was evident from the
working of his feature