One party will put a barrel ready in yon doorway on purpose, and if
it be not removed, it will like enough be used ere morning. We had
best go in search of the poor creature; for ofttimes they are sore
put to it to get free from the cask--if they be stout in person at
least."
And, indeed, as they neared the foot of the hill, they heard a
groaning and stifled crying for help; and, sure enough, they found
a buxom woman, the wife of a respectable citizen, tightly wedged
into the cask, and much shaken and bruised by her rapid transit
down the hill, although, when released with some difficulty, she
was able to walk home, escorted by her rescuers, and bitterly
inveighing against the wickedness of the world in general and
London's young bullies in particular.
"The best thing, good dame, is not to be abroad at such an hour
alone," advised Cale.
"Yes, truly; and yet it was but the matter of a few streets; and it
seems hard a woman may not sit beside a sick neighbour for a while
without being served so on her way back. My husband was to have
come for me; but must have been detained. Pray heaven he has not
fallen in with a band of Mohocks, and had the nose of him split
open--to say nothing of worse!"
"Are men really served so bad as that?" asked Tom, as the two
turned back from the citizen's house whither they had escorted
their grateful protegee.
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