till he slays his enemies, or is slain; but that man will run away at the first shot.

As Lever was indulging in these melancholy and cynical reflections, a tumult was heard on the outside of the barn, and a shout was raised from a number of voices, "A spy! a spy!" Presently a man, having on a yeoman's uniform, was dragged in, amidst the threats and ridicule of the insurgents. Charles at once recognised in the captive yeoman his old friend and companion George Franklin. "We caught this fellow," said they, "prowling in the lane close by; there was another with him, but he got off."

"Hang him, hang him for a spy!" cried a dozen voices at once.

"Stop," said Bullyer, "let me ask a few questions of the prisoner. What is your name?"

66

voice.

George Franklin," said the yeoman, in a firm

"What! the son of that old Tory rogue at Rickerscote Grange?"

"I am the son of an honest man," continued Franklin, in the same undaunted tone.

"How came you here?"

"I was on duty."

"On duty were you? pray who sent you?" George Franklin had been sent to reconnoitre and gain intelligence, but was resolved not to betray the plans of the magistrates.

66

I was summoned to-day with the yeomanry, as it is well known, to Laxington."

'Why did you leave Laxington?" asked Bullyer; were you sent to watch us?"

George Franklin held his peace, and resolutely refused to answer.

"Hang him, hang him for a spy!" cried out several voices amongst the mob.

"Shoot him, that's shortest," said a drunken wretch, at the same time cocking a rusty firelock which he held in his hand. Bullyer in vain endeavoured to keep him back. He had brought the insurgents together; but, as will commonly happen, was utterly unable to control their mad violence. Already was the ruffian's weapon presented to the yeoman's breast,—another moment would have ended his life by the murderer's hand, when Charles Lever dashed aside the weapon, and stood between his friend and the drunken rioter.

"What!" said he, "shoot a defenceless prisoner! kill an unarmed man!"

"He is a spy! he is a spy!" cried several voices

at once.

"Who has proved him to be a spy?" said Lever. "Will you condemn a man before he is tried?" "Better do that," said a surly voice, "than let him go and betray us."

"Fool!" said Lever,

we keep him a prisoner.

"how can he betray us, if

Let us take him with us,

and he can do us no harm. Never kill an unarmed man. Let us keep our valour for the soldiers, when we meet them."

This appeal had considerable effect on the savage crew. Englishmen are not usually cruel, and shrink from the unnecessary effusion of blood, except when urged on by drunkenness, or some mad excitement. Woe to those who shall goad them on to excesses, and excite passions which oceans of blood may not extinguish !

While the fate of the prisoner was thus in suspense, the attention of the insurgents was providentially diverted by a new incident. A rocket was seen suddenly to shoot upwards in the heaven, on the farther side of the town of Laxington. It paused for a moment, when it reached its highest point, then burst into a thousand falling fragments, which seemed to glare frightfully over the devoted town. It was the signal for the attack. The leader immediately gave orders that the signal should be answered. A moment of suspense ensued, and then a loud whizzing sound was heard; but by some mismanagement, the rocket which was fired took an oblique direction, and lodged in the roof of the barn. The wind being high, the thatch was soon kindled into a blaze, which forced the insurgents, after some vain efforts to extinguish it, to consult their safety, by leaving the flaming building.

The time was now come for the attack. By the light of the blazing barn, Bullyer marshalled his men in three divisions; first, those armed with firelocks; then the sword and pikemen; and last, the bludgeonmen. The light, which enabled him to make his