“Ay, Lawhibbet; that’s the name I was told.”  He nodded in the friendliest manner.

“Are you the rebels?” I blurted out, while Margery gripped my arm; but this boldness only fetched a laugh from the big man.

“Some of ’em,” said he; “though you’ll have to unlearn that name, my young whipstercock, seein’ we’re here to stay for a while.  The Earl marched down into Fowey last night while you were asleep, and is down there now making it right and tight.  Do you ever play at blind-man’s buff in these parts?”

Three or four soldiers had gathered behind him by this, and were staring down on us.  One of them blew a clumsy kiss to Margery.

“Do you mean the child’s game?” I asked, wondering whatever he could be driving at.

“I do; but perhaps, sir, you are too old to remember it.”  He winked at the men and they guffawed.  “It begins, ’How many horses has your father got?’ ‘Six,’ says you; ’black, red, and grey’—­or that’s the number according to our instructions.  ‘Very good then,’ says we; ’turn round three times and catch which you may.’  And the moral is, don’t be surprised if you find the stable empty when you get home.  There’s a detachment gone to attend to it after seizing the ford below; hungry men, all of them.  No doubt they’ll be visiting the bacon-rack after the stable, and if missy knows where to pick up the new-laid eggs she might put a score aside for us poor artillerymen.”

We turned from them and hurried down the slope.  “Rebels!” said Margery once, under her breath; but the blow had stunned us and we could not talk.  In the stable yard we found, as the artillerymen had promised, a company of soldiers leading out the horses, and my father watching them with that patient look which never deserted him.  He turned to Margery—­

“Go into the kitchen, my dear.  They will want food next, and we have to do what we can.  They have been civil, and promise to pay for all they take.  I do not think they will show any roughness.”

Margery obeyed with a set face.  For the next hour she and Lizzie were busy in the kitchen, frying ham and eggs, boiling great pans of milk, cutting up all the bread of the last baking, and heating the oven for a fresh batch.  The men, I am bound to say, took their food civilly, that morning and afterwards; and for a fortnight at least they paid reasonably for all they took.  For several days I hung closer about the ingle than ever I had done in my life; not that a boy of fourteen could be any protection to the women-folk, but to be ready at least to give an alarm should insult be offered.  But we had to do with decent men, who showed themselves friendly not only in the house but in their camp down by the ford, whither, after the first morning, Lizzie and I trudged it twice a day with baskets of provisions.  Lizzie indeed talked freely with them, but I held my tongue and glowered (I dare say) in my foolish hate.  Margery kept to the house.