up on the other side the road--barred, black, silent.

I heard a muttering--"Th' old man bean't there."--"Nobody knows where
he be." No, thank God!

"Be us all y'ere?" said the man with the torch, holding it up so as to
see round him. It was well then that I appeared as Jem Watkins. But no
one noticed me, except one man, who skulked behind a tree, and of whom
I was rather afraid, as he was apparently intent on watching.

"Ready, lads? Now for the rosin! Blaze 'un out."

But, in the eager scuffle, the torch, the only one alight, was knocked
down and trodden out. A volley of oaths arose, though whose fault it
was no one seemed to know; but I missed my man from behind the
tree--nor found him till after the angry throng had rushed on to the
nearest lamp. One of them was left behind, standing close to our own
railings. He looked round to see if none were by, and then sprang over
the gate. Dark as it was I thought I recognized him.

"John?"

"Phineas?" He was beside me in a bound. "How could you do--"

"I could do anything to-night. But you are safe; no one has harmed
you. Oh, thank God, you are not hurt!"

And I clung to his arm--my friend, whom I had missed so long, so sorely.

He held me tight--his heart felt as mine, only more silently.

"Now, Phineas, we have a minute's time. I must have you safe--we must
get into the house."

"Who is there?"

"Jael; she is as good as a host of constables; she has braved the
fellows once to-night, but they're back again, or will be directly."

"And the mill?"

"Safe, as yet; I have had three of the tan-yard men there since
yesterday morning, though your father did not know. I have been going
to and fro all night, between there and here, waiting till the rioters
should come back from the Severn mills. Hist!--here they are--I say,
Jael?"

He tapped at the window. In a few seconds Jael had unbarred the door,
let us in, and closed it again securely, mounting guard behind it with
something that looked very like my father's pistols, though I would not
discredit her among our peaceful society by positively stating the fact.

"Bravo!" said John, when we stood all together in the barricaded house,
and heard the threatening murmur of voices and feet outside. "Bravo,
Jael! The wife of Heber the Kenite was no braver woman than you."

She looked gratified, and followed John obediently from room to room.

"I have done all as thee bade me--thee art a sensible lad,