. About the time when Bob and his father were
descending from the beacon the stalwart yeoman was standing in the stable-
yard adjusting his straps, while Cripplestraw saddled the horse. Festus
clanked up and down, looked gloomily at the beacon, heard the retreating
carts and carriages, and called Cripplestraw to him, who came from the
stable leading the horse at the same moment that Uncle Benjy peeped
unobserved from a mullioned window above their heads, the distant light
of the beacon fire touching up his features to the complexion of an old
brass clock-face.

'I think that before I start, Cripplestraw,' said Festus, whose lurid
visage was undergoing a bleaching process curious to look upon, 'you
shall go on to Budmouth, and make a bold inquiry whether the cowardly
enemy is on shore as yet, or only looming in the bay.'

'I'd go in a moment, sir,' said the other, 'if I hadn't my bad leg again.
I should have joined my company afore this; but they said at last drill
that I was too old. So I shall wait up in the hay-loft for tidings as
soon as I have packed you off, poor gentleman!'

'Do such alarms as these, Cripplestraw, ever happen without foundation?
Buonaparte is a wretch, a miserable wretch, and this may be only a false
alarm to disappoint such as me?'

'O no, sir; O no!'

'But sometimes there are false alarms?'

'Well, sir, yes. There was a pretended sally o' gunboats last year.'

'And was there nothing else pretended--something more like this, for
instance?'

Cripplestraw shook his head. 'I notice yer modesty, Mr. Festus, in
making light of things. But there never was, sir. You may depend upon
it he's come. Thank God, my duty as a Local don't require me to go to
the front, but only the valiant men like my master. Ah, if Boney could
only see 'ee now, sir, he'd know too well there is nothing to be got from
such a determined skilful officer but blows and musket-balls!'

'Yes, yes. Cripplestraw, if I ride off to Budmouth and meet 'em, all my
training will be lost. No skill is required as a forlorn hope.'

'True; that's a point, sir. You would outshine 'em all, and be picked
off at the very beginning as a too-dangerous brave man.'

'But if I stay here and urge on the faint-hearted ones, or get up into
the turret-stair by that gateway, and pop at the invaders through the
loophole, I shouldn't be so completely wasted, should I?'

'You would not, Mr. Derriman. But, as you was going to say next, th