The sand-bed too was made
more soft and easy with some armfuls of straw, and in one corner of the
cave was a little pile of driftwood and an iron cooking-pot. And all
these things had Elzevir got by foraging of nights, using great care that
none should see him, and taking only what would not be much missed or
thought about; but soon he contrived to give Ratsey word of where we
were, and after that the sexton fended for us. There were none even of
the landers knew what was become of us, save only Ratsey; and he never
came down the quarry, but would leave what he brought in one of the
ruined cottages a half-mile from the shaft. And all the while there was
strict search being made for us, and mounted Excisemen scouring the
country; for though at first the Posse took back Maskew's dead body and
said we must have fallen over the cliff, for there was nothing to be
found of us, yet afterwards a farm-boy brought a tale of how he had come
suddenly on men lurking under a wall, and how one had a bloody foot and
leg, and how the other sprung upon him and after a fierce struggle
wrenched his master's rook-piece from his hands, rifled his pocket of a
powder-horn, and made off with them like a hare towards Corfe. And as to
Maskew, some of the soldiers said that Elzevir had shot him, and others
that he died by misadventure, being killed by a stray bullet of one of
his own men on the hill-top; but for all that they put a head-price on
Elzevir of 50, and 20 for me, so we had reason to lie close.
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