Even while he spoke they
made a rush, but the serjeant had his wits about him and brought down
his halberd to the charge, just in time to stop them.
"Now, enough of this," he said sternly. "I know nothing about your
witches and nonsense, but this young man's my prisoner, and if you
don't leave him to me it will be the worse for you. Take him along,
lads."
So the drummer and fifer led the idiot down the road, while the
serjeant, with his halberd still at the charge, kept the women at bay;
and thus slowly they passed clear of the village while the women and
children, after following for a time with yells and execrations, at
last dropped behind.
"Now, mistress," said the serjeant to the idiot's mother, "you'd best
look out for yourself, I expect, and go away."
The woman turned upon him with a scornful laugh. "Do you suppose I be
afraid of they?" she said. "Not I; and if 'ee think that I'm a going
to leave my boy--here, let mun go," she said resolutely, shoving away
the drummer's arm--"you've naught against mun. I tell 'ee he wasn't
never 'listed."
The serjeant removed her hand instantly. "None of that," he said.
"You can come along with him as far as you will, but the justice will
see to the rest to-morrow morning."
The woman glanced at the Corporal in despair, but the Corporal could
only shake his head. "Best go quietly along with him, mistress," he
said; "I'll go to her Ladyship and do what I can.
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