ion was to fire the house, when the search was completed.
Hardly had this information been received when Maguffin's challenge was
heard, and a well-known voice in military accents replied "A friend."
The colonel went out, and brought in Corporal Rigby, panting for want of
breath.

"You've been running, Rigby," said the astonished Squire.

"Duty required it, sir," replied the constable, saluting; "I have come
at the double, with trailed arms, all the way from Squire Halbert's.
This is his rifle I am carrying. The enemy is on the move, sir, in
waggon transport." "You are jest in time, kenstable," remarked Mr.
Bangs. "Miss Kermichael and the ether ledies hev jest keptured an
impertent prisoner. Hev you yore hendkeffs?"

"I have, sir, and everything else the law requires." Mr. Terry handed a
glass to the breathless constable, who bowed his respects to the company
generally, smacked his lips as a public token of satisfaction, and
proceeded to handcuff and search his prisoner. Several blasting
cartridges with long fuses, and other incendiary material, were the
results of the last operation.

"If I had my way with him, sergeant-major," the constable remarked,
while taking his man under the veteran's command, to the stable, "I
would borrow an old chair from the back kitchen, not the front,
sergeant-major, tie him to it, and set off all these cattridges under
him. He would not go to heaven, sergeant-major, but they would help him
a bit in that direction. The man that would cattridge a house with
ladies in it should be made a targate out of, sergeant-major."

"Poor, deluded crathur!" replied Mr. Terry, "it's but a shlip av a bhoy,
it is, wid a burnt up father, that's been shet on to mischief by thim as
knows betther. Kape him toight, Corporal Rigby, but be tindher wid the
benoighted gossoon." Mr. Bangs ordered all lights out, save one in the
thoroughly darkened office, and another in the closet back in the hall,
which had no window. He called in the three sentries, ordered the
constable to maintain silence in the stable, and slipped out to
reconnoitre. The colonel, the Squire and Maguffin prepared their pistols
for the first volley on the housebreakers. The clergymen, with Timotheus
and Rufus, got their guns in order for the second. It was almost on the
stroke of midnight when the detective slipped in and closed the door
after him. "They are here," he whispered; "wait for me to ect! Now, not
another word." Silent, as if them