ont. So, spying a dark doorway at a corner, he whipped briskly into
it, and let the uncouth hunt go by him, still shouting and
gesticulating, and all red with hurry, and white with tumbles in the
snow.

It was a long while, indeed, before this great invasion of the town by
the harbour came to an end, and it was long before silence was restored.
For long, lost sailors were still to be heard pounding and shouting
through the streets in all directions and in every quarter of the town.
Quarrels followed, sometimes among themselves, sometimes with the men of
the patrols; knives were drawn, blows given and received, and more than
one dead body remained behind upon the snow.

When, a full hour later, the last seaman returned grumblingly to the
harbour side and his particular tavern, it may fairly be questioned if
he had ever known what manner of man he was pursuing, but it was
absolutely sure that he had now forgotten. By next morning there were
many strange stories flying; and a little while after, the legend of the
devil's nocturnal visit was an article of faith with all the lads of
Shoreby.

But the return of the last seaman did not, even yet, set free young
Shelton from his cold imprisonment in the doorway.

For some time after, there was a great activity of patrols; and special
parties came forth to make the round of the place and report to one or
other of the great lords, whose slumbers had been thus unusually broken.

The night was already well spent before Dick ventured from his
hiding-place, and came, safe and sound, but aching with cold and
bruises, to the door of the "Goat and Bagpipes." As the law required,
there was neither fire nor candle in the house; but he groped his way
into a corner of the icy guest-room, found an end of a blanket, which he
hitched around his shoulders, and creeping close to the nearest sleeper,
was soon lost in slumber.

BOOK V

CROOKBACK

CHAPTER I

THE SHRILL TRUMPET

Very early the next morning, before the first peep of the day, Dick
arose, changed his garments, armed himself once more like a gentleman,
and set forth for Lawless's den in the forest. There, it will be
remembered, he had left Lord Foxham's papers; and to get these and be
back in time for the tryst with the young Duke of Gloucester could only
be managed by an early start, and the most vigorous walking.

The frost was more rigorous than ever; the air windless and dry, and
stinging to the nostril.