It was with disgust, however, that I remembered that there was neither harness nor carts; but to my surprise, now that the animals had been discovered, my men were running busily around searching every likely hiding-place of the huge straggling courtyards.  Like rats, they ran into every corner, turned over everything, pulled up loose floorings, and presently the body of a cart was found hidden in a loft in the most cunning way.  But it was only the body of a cart; there were no wheels.  And yet the wheels could not be far off.  Five more minutes’ search had discovered them suspended down a well, under a bucket, which itself contained a mass of harness; and then in every impossible place we discovered the inn property cleverly stored away.  In the end, we had all the animals hitched up, and the carts themselves full of fodder.  Then, by employing the same tactics as before, just outside drivers were discovered and induced to follow us, and now, with a heavy caravan to protect against all comers, we sallied forth.  This time we would have our work cut out.

An hour and more had elapsed since we had been on the open streets, and it being near midday, and everything still quiet, we were surprised to see people of the lower classes moving cautiously about on the main streets, but disappearing quickly at the mere sight of other people whose business they could not divine.  That, too, was soon explained; for, seeing one rapscallion trying to run away with a sack over his back, we discharged a rifle at him.  Straightway the man stopped running, fell on his knees, and whiningly said that he had been permitted to take what he was carrying by honourable foreign soldiery whom he had been allowed to assist.  The bundle contained only silks and clothes; with a kick we let him go.  Plainly the plot was thickening on all sides, and it was becoming more and more dangerous to be abroad.  Seized with a new thought, I stopped the whole caravan, and giving orders to that effect, we soon had every driver we had so summarily impressed securely strapped to his cart with heavy rope.  At least, if we had to cut our way back I had secured that our carts could not be stampeded with ease.  The drivers would make them go on; it would be easier to run forward than to turn back.

Then, as if we realised the danger of the road, we began driving frantically.  We wished to carry the carts into safety.  It was not long before we saw in the distance many groups of people clustering round a big building surrounded by high walls.  That made me nervous, for the groups formed and dissolved continually, as if they were in doubt, and seeking to gain something which was bent on resisting.  But no sooner had they seen this than my men began laughing coarsely, and exclaimed in the vernacular that it was a pawn-shop which the common people were trying to loot.  Of course, it was certain that every pawn-shop would go sooner or later; but the sight of an actual attack in progress seemed strange