You have no farm, I
suppose?"

[Footnote 85: Colonists, who favored the British.]

"Not yet; but it will go hard if I do not find one before the peace is
made."

"Right; study your own interests, and you study the interests of your
country; press the point of your own services and rail at the Tories,
and I'll bet my spurs against a rusty nail that you get to be a county
clerk at least. Men who have nothing, act as if the wealth of the
Indies depended on their fidelity; all are not villains like yourself,
or we should have been slaves to England years ago."

"How!" shouted the Skinner, starting back, and dropping his musket to
the level of the other's breast; "am I betrayed, and are you my
enemy?"

"Miscreant!" shouted Lawton, his sabre ringing in its steel scabbard
as he struck the musket of the fellow from his hands; "offer but again
to point your gun at me, and I'll cleave you to the middle."

"And you will not pay us, then, Captain Lawton?" said the Skinner,
trembling in every joint, for just then he saw a party of mounted
dragoons silently encircling his whole party.

"Oh! pay you--yes, you shall have the full measure of your reward.
There is the money that Colonel Singleton sent down for the captor of
the spy," throwing a bag of guineas with disdain at the other's feet.
"But ground your arms, you rascals, and see that the money is truly
told."[86]

[Footnote 86: counted.]

The intimidated band did as they were ordered, and while they were
eagerly employed in this pleasing avocation, a few of Lawton's men
privately knocked the flints out of their muskets.

"Well," cried the impatient captain, "is it right--have you the
promised reward?"

"There is just the money," said the leader, "and we will now go to our
homes, with your permission."

"Hold! so much to redeem our promise--now for justice; we pay you for
taking the spy, but we punish you for burning, robbing, and murdering.
Seize them, my lads, and give each of them the law of Moses--forty
save one."

This command was given to no unwilling listeners, and in the twinkling
of an eye the Skinners were stripped and fastened by the halters of
the party to as many of the apple trees as were necessary to furnish
one to each of the gang. Swords were quickly drawn, and fifty branches
were cut from the trees like magic; from these were selected a few of
the most supple of the twigs, and a willing dragoon was soon found to
wield each of the weapo