Then he began tapping again, when all of a sudden there was a rustle
behind them, and there stood the familiar figure of the idiot Jan, with
his face grinning wider than usual. The children were startled and
were on the point of running to the house, but he held up his finger as
usual and beckoned to Dick to go on beating; though after hearing a tap
or two he shook his head and, taking up the drum, let out the slings
and put them over his own head. Then he squared his shoulders and
threw out his chest, and bringing up his elbows in a line with his chin
he beat two taps loudly with each stick, slowly at first and gradually
faster and faster till the taps blended together in a long, loud roll.
Then he stopped and grinned at the children, who were staring with
amazement and delight; and then beating two short rolls he began to
march up and down whistling the tune "Lillibulero," which the bullfinch
piped, and beating in perfect time with all his might.
So intent was he on his music that neither he nor the children noticed
the serjeant, who with halberd in hand came walking up with the drummer
and fifer close behind him.
"What have we here?" said the serjeant, eyeing the strange figure
before him. "Where did you learn to beat like that, my man?" he went
on, laying a heavy hand on the idiot's shoulder. The idiot glanced
round with a start, and uttering a whine of terror slipped away from
the serjeant's hand, swung the drum on to his back, and made off as
fast as his legs would carry him.
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