om, examine all the cupboards and sound the floors, turn over
all the wood in the shed, and leave not a single place unsearched
where a mouse could be hid."

The soldiers scattered through the house, and were soon heard
knocking the scanty furniture about and sounding the floors and
walls. At last they returned saying that nothing was to be found.

"And now," the sergeant said, "I must have a look in that coffin.
Who knows but what the traitor Scot may be hid in there!"

Mrs. Martin leaped to her feet.

"You shall not touch the coffin," she said; "I will not have the
remains of my husband disturbed." The sergeant pushed her roughly
aside, and with the end of his pike prised up the lid of the coffin,
while Mrs. Martin and the other three mourners screamed lustily
and wrung their hands in the greatest grief at this desecration of
the dead.

Just as the sergeant opened the coffin and satisfied himself that
a dead man really lay within, an officer, attracted by the screams,
entered the room.

"What is this, sergeant?" he asked angrily. "The orders were to
search the house, but none were given you to trouble the inmates."

Mrs. Martin began volubly to complain of the conduct of the soldiers
in wrenching open the coffin.

"It was a necessary duty, my good woman," the officer said, "seeing
that a living man might have been carried away instead of a dead
one; however, I see all is right."

"Oh, kind sir!" Mrs. Martin said, sobbing, "is it true what this
man tells me, that there is no passage through the gates today? I
have hired a cart to take away my husband's body; the grave is dug,
and the priest will be waiting. Kind sir, I pray of you to get me
a pass to sally out with it, together with my daughter, sister,
and niece."

"Very well," the officer said kindly, "I will do as you wish. I
shall be seeing the governor presently to make my report to him;
and as I have myself seen the dead body can vouch that no ruse
is intended. But assuredly no pass will be given for any man to
accompany you; and the Scot, who is a head and shoulders taller
than any of you, would scarcely slip out in a woman's garment. When
will the cart be here?"

"At noon," the woman replied.

"Very well; an hour before that time a soldier will bring out the
pass. Now, sergeant, have you searched the rest of the house?"

"Yes, sir; thoroughly, and nothing suspicious has been found."

"Draw off your men, then, and proceed, with your search e