er in. The hospital and guard-room was the winter
kitchen of the house, a spacious apartment almost unused during the
summer months. When the lad was brought into it, he seemed to recognize
the place with his dull big grey eyes, and spoke the first words he had
uttered since his capture. "Bread and meat for Monty." "Why," said
Tryphena, "it's the ijut boy." "So it is," ejaculated Mrs. Carruthers,
"What is your name, Monty?" With an idiotic smile on his face, but no
light in those poor eyes, he answered: "Monty Rawn, and mother's in the
water place." Mrs. Carruthers explained that the lad had been often in
the kitchen in winter, and that she had told Tryphena to feed him well
and be kind to him, so that it is no wonder he recognized the scene of
his former enjoyment. "Puir laddie," said the Squire, "he's no'
responsible, but the born deevil that set him on should be hanged,
drawn, and quartered."

"Squire," answered Mr. Errol, "I'm aye on the side o' maircy, but to yon
I say Amen."

"Come, come!" Carruthers cried hastily, regaining his natural speech;
"we must take off these haverals, Sylvanus and Toner, and bring them in
to guard the prisoners. They are not fit for sentry duty." Leaving the
Captain and the veteran as temporary guards, he sallied forth, followed
by the lawyer and the two parsons.

To the Squire's great delight, he found the dominie walking up and down
the front of the house, humming "A charge to keep I have." "Mr.
Wilkinson," he said, "you're a pairfec' treasure," and that so loud
that the schoolmaster was sure it was heard by the occupants of the
window over the porch. He marched along with redoubled pride and
devotion. Mr. Perrowne took Toner's place, and the lawyer that of
Sylvanus. Carruthers marched the two haverals to the kitchen, and placed
the prisoners in their charge, after roundly abusing them for talking on
guard. This set free the Captain and Mr. Terry, who were posted together
by the outbuildings, although the veteran was very anxious to go down to
the bush for the purpose of potting the Lake Settlement haythens. There
being no post for the minister, he was appointed hospital chaplain and
commander of the prisoners' guard. Mr. Nash, carrying Ben's gun, was
investigating the strip of bush and the clump of birches down the hill
for traces of the enemy. While so doing, two pistol bullets flew past
his head and compelled him to seek the cover of a tree trunk. Finding he
could do nothing in t