n he intended; and it was no small relief,
therefore, the first salutation being over, when the masculine tones
reassured him. Munro, without much circumlocution, immediately proceeded
to ask whether he was willing to lend a hand for the help of Colleton,
and to save him from the gallows?

"Colleton!--save Master Colleton!--do tell--is that what you mean?"

"It is. Are you the man to help your friend--will you make one along
with others who are going to try for it?"

"Well, now, don't be rash; give a body time to consider. It's pesky full
of trouble; dangerous, too. It's so strange!--" and the pedler showed
himself a little bewildered by the sudden manner in which the subject
had been broached.

"There's little time to be lost, Bunce: if we don't set to work at once,
we needn't set to work at all. Speak out, man! will you join us, now or
never, to save the young fellow?"

With something like desperation in his manner, as if he scrupled to
commit himself too far, yet had the will to contribute considerably to
the object, the pedler replied:--

"Save the young fellow? well, I guess I will, if you'll jest say what's
to be done. I'll lend a hand, to be sure, if there's no trouble to come
of it. He's a likely chap, and not so stiff neither, though I did count
him rather high-headed at first; but after that, he sort a smoothed
down, and now I don't know nobody I'd sooner help jest now out of the
slush: but I can't see how we're to set about it."

"Can you fight, Bunce? Are you willing to knock down and drag out, when
there's need for it?"

"Why, if I was fairly listed, and if so be there's no law agin it. I
don't like to run agin the law, no how; and if you could get a body
clear on it, why, and there's no way to do the thing no other how, I
guess I shouldn't stand too long to consider when it's to help a
friend."

"It may be no child's play, Bunce, and there must be stout heart and
free hand. One mustn't stop for trifles in such cases; and, as for the
law, when a man's friend's in danger, he must make his own law."

"That wan't my edication, no how; my principles goes agin it. I must
think about it. I must have a little time to consider." But the landlord
saw no necessity for consideration, and, fearful that the scruples of
Bunce would be something too strong, he proceeded to smooth away the
difficulty.

"After all, Bunce, the probability is, we shall be able to manage the
affair without violence: so we shall t