f the camp near Romald's Moor.

Turning towards the south-west, and looking to the right, beyond the
chain of successive heights that form the vale of Todmorden, he beheld a
dim spark in the distance, from the summit of Hades Hill, scarcely
penetrating the mist which hung like a dense cloud in that direction;
this place and Thieveley Pike forming the connecting-links between
Pendle Hill and Buckton Castle.

The terrified attendants knew too well the results which would follow
this unaccountable and irreparable mistake. The whole country would be
in commotion. Hordes of zealous and fanatic idlers and malcontents would
repair to the appointed rendezvous, and this premature, and perhaps
fatal movement, would be attributed to their carelessness. Paslew, not
over-nice in discriminating their several deserts, would doubtless
subject them to immediate and condign punishment.

These were thoughts common to each, unquestionable and conclusive; but
what answer to give, or what excuse to make, was far from being decided
upon with the same degree of certainty.

"We shall be hanged without mercy," was the dread sum of these
uncomfortable reflections.

"I know not what you may be," said Will; "but I intend to run for it.
I've an old dame would make a sore disturbance at my death, more
especially if dangling from the gallows-tree, which of all the trees in
the wood hath been my aversion ever since I saw Long Tom of the Nab make
so uncomfortable a shriving from thence."

"Run, then," said Nicholas, rather stoutly, and in a tone of more
confidence than heretofore. "I'll stay my ground this bout; and,
further, I do propose to commit yon knaves into the holy keeping of our
four-cornered crib, where they may be indulged in recreations of another
sort than setting the whole country by the ears. 'Twill save our necks
to slip theirs into the noose."

This happy suggestion, the whole of these honest and conscientious
servants of the church were prepared to obey. They might with safety
accuse the strangers; indeed, it was more than probable they had hit out
the right source of the mischief; so, marching up boldly to the
execution of this Christian purpose, they were proceeding to lay hands
on the foremost of the culprits. At this critical moment he turned
suddenly round. Perhaps from a prior suspicion of their intentions, or
from the knavish cast of their countenances, he saw that hostilities
were in contemplation: at any rate, he seeme