"
At this moment an impatient voice from the open door above cried
out:
"Why do you not bring him forth? He must be there still! What means
the delay? He can be an ugly customer, truly, but sure you have
mastered him by this!"
In a few minutes more Rosamund saw the ugly, shifty face of
Slippery Seal drawing near to them, and he was followed by another
of the same crew, peering eagerly this way and that, as though they
looked to see Tom pinioned in the midst of the group.
"Where is he?" they cried.
"Flown!" answered the others, with a touch of sullenness in their
voices. "You have led us a fine chase, truly; first to be made
fools of by that dashing young spark, whom it is not good to meddle
with, and then disturbing this honest citizen and his daughter!
Zounds! you drunken fellows, if you lead us this sort of dance we
shall believe no word you say again. I trow well that you were all
of you more than half drunk upon the night you professed to see
this thing done. How are we to know you are to be trusted in
swearing it was this young man at all? Master Cale speaks well of
him, and his word is worth twenty oaths from the likes of you.
"Goodnight, master; goodnight, mistress. I am sorry we disturbed
you on the testimony of these ill-living fellows.
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