adly.

"And I don't want to, sir. What I understand is that instead of
fighting the French, or the Spaniards, or any other barbarous enemies,
we're all fighting against one another like savages; and there's the
beautiful old Hall burning down to the ground like a beacon fire on a
hill, and who knows but what it may be our turn next?"

"What, at the Manor, Samson?"

"Yes, sir. Why not?"

"Heaven forbid, man! Heaven forbid!"

"And I say `Amen,' sir. But come back to camp, and let's get you a bit
of something to eat; and, I say, sir, you did give my hand a deep cut.
Think that new sword you've got's as sharp as the one I whetted for
you?"

"I don't know, Samson," said Fred, drearily. "I hate the very name of
sword."

"And so do I, sir, proud as I was the first day I buckled mine on. I
aren't much of a smith, but I can blow the bellows like hooray, and when
the time comes, as it says in the Bible, I'll make the fire roar while
some one hammers all the swords and spears into plough-shares and
pruning-hooks, and cuts all the gun-barrels up into pipes. That's
right, sir; come along."

Fred said no more, but, with their shadows darkly shown upon the
trampled grass, the pair walked back to camp.

CHAPTER FORTY ONE.

NAT IS LOST.

"Have I been to sleep, Samson?"

"Yes, sir, sound as a top. You dropped off after you had that bread and
cider."

"And the Hall?--is it still burning?"

"Yes, sir; a regular steady fire down at the bottom, with the walls
standing up all round."

"And the prisoners?"

"All gone, sir. They packed 'em off to the west'ard in a couple of
waggons, and a troop of our men as escorts. Fine fellows, sir, all but
that one as fired the Hall. I couldn't help being sorry to see how
wounded and helpless they were. But how they carried it off, laughing
and talking there till they'd been seen to, and were tired and got
stiff! Then it began to tell on 'em, and they had to be lifted into the
waggons and laid on the straw almost to a man."

"I hope they'll all recover," said Fred, sadly.

"So do I, sir, even if we have to fight 'em again. But we shall see no
more of the poor lads for a long time, unless some of their party
rescues them, cures them, and the game begins over again. Feel ready,
sir?"

"Ready?"

"Yes; it's about twelve o'clock, and I thought you might like to come
and help me bully that ugly brother of mine."

"Why, Samson," said Fred, with a sad smile, "every