The Toll-Gate Read Online Free Page B

besetting sin, a strong predilection for exploring the unusual, had taken possession of him. He disregarded the ticket, and said: "Did your dad leave you to mind the gate for him?"
    "Yes sir," acknowledged the youth, with a somewhat watery sniff. "Please, sir, it's frippence, and——"
    "Opens the next two gates," supplied the Captain. "What's your name?"
    "Ben," replied the youth.
    "Where does this road lead to? Sheffield?"
    After consideration, Ben said that it did.
    "How far?" asked the Captain.
    "I dunno. Ten miles, I dessay. Please, sir——"
    "As much as that! The devil!"
    "It might be twelve, p'raps. I dunno. But the ticket's frippence, please, sir."
    The Captain looked down into the not very prepossessing countenance raised anxiously to his. The boy looked frightened and over-watched. He said: "When did your dad go off?" He waited, and added, after a moment: "Don't be afraid! I shan't hurt you. Have you been minding the gate for long?"
    "Yes—no! Dad went off yesterday. He said he'd be back, but he ain't, and please, sir, don't go telling no one, else Dad'll give me a proper melting!" begged the youth, on a note of urgent entreaty.
    The Captain's curiosity was now thoroughly roused. Gatekeepers might have their faults, but they did not commonly leave their posts unattended except by small boys for twenty-four hours at a stretch.
    Moreover, Ben was badly scared; and to judge by the furtive glances he cast round he was scared by something besides the darkness and his loneliness.
    The Captain swung himself to the ground, and pulled the bridle over Beau's head. "Seems to me I'd better stay and keep you company for the night," he said cheerfully. "Now, where am I going to stable my horse?"
    Ben was so much astonished that he could only stand staring up at the Captain with his mouth open and his eyes popping. The Captain knew that the generality of country gatehouses had small gardens attached to them with, often enough, rough sheds erected for the storage of hoes, swap-hooks, and wood. "Have you got a shed?" he demanded.
    "Ay," uttered Ben, still gazing, fascinated, at this enormous and fantastic traveller.
    "What's in it?"
    "Cackling-cheats."
    The Captain recognised the language. His troop had contained several of the rogues of whom his Grace of Wellington, in querulous humour, had more than once asserted that his gallant army was for the most part composed. "Hens?" he said. "Oh, well, no matter! Take me to it! Is it big enough for my horse?"
    "Ay," said Ben doubtfully.
    "Lead the way, then!"
    Apparently Ben felt that it would be unwise to demur, which he seemed much inclined to do, for after giving another gulp he picked up his lantern, and guided the Captain to a wicket-gate behind the toll-house.
    The shed proved to be surprisingly large, and when the lantern was hung up on a protruding nail its light revealed not only a collection of fowls, perched on a roost, but also some straw, and a truss of hay in one corner. There were unmistakable signs that Beau was not the first horse to be stabled there, a circumstance which John found interesting, but which he thought it wisest not to comment upon. Ben was regarding him with a mixture of awe and suspicion, so he smiled down at the boy, and said: "You needn't be afraid: I shan't hurt you. Now, my cloak's too wet to put over Beau here: have you got a blanket to spare?"
    "Ay. But if Mr. Chirk was to come—— But I dessay he won't!" said Ben. "Coo, he is a big prancer!"
    He then took the saddle-bag which John had unstrapped, and went off with it. When he returned it was with a pail of water, and a horse-blanket.
    He found that the Captain, having shed his coat, was rubbing Beau down, and he at once collected a wisp of straw, and set to work on the big horse's legs. He seemed to have decided that his uninvited guest, though alarmingly large, really did mean him no harm, for he looked much more cheerful, and volunteered the information that he had set the kettle on to boil.