He's
got courage and brains, and they've got the better of us up to now. Mark
me, we shan't take him easily when the opportunity does offer. He'll
make a corpse of one or two of us in the doing it."
"More guineas for those who are left," was the answer. "The other affair
trots nicely," and he winked slowly over the tilted edge of his tankard.
"Wait!" said the other. "The netting of such fish may be sport enough,
but there are handsome fish which are the devil to handle, and the taste
of them is poison. Hist!"
His companion turned quickly at the warning, and through the open door
saw the maid, who attended the great lady, in the passage without. She
inquired for the landlord, who came quickly, and at the same time the
trooper got up and crossed the room, giving no explanation to his
companion.
"Must we start early to reach Dorchester to-morrow?" the maid inquired
of the landlord.
"Yes, very early. The roads--"
"The roads are good, mistress," volunteered the trooper. "I have ridden
over them to-day."
"You may be able to tell me better than the landlord, then," said the
girl, and for some minutes they talked in a low tone as they stood in
the doorway of the inn.
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