Chapter 5

The sergeant and I were in the kitchen when Mrs Joe stood staring; at which crisis I partially recovered the use of my senses. It was the sergeant who had spoken to me, and he was now looking round at the company, with his handcuffs invitingly extended towards them in his right hand, and his left on my shoulder.

`Excuse me, ladies and gentleman,' said the sergeant, `but as I have mentioned at the door to this smart young shaver' (which he hadn't), `I am on a chase in the name of the king, and I want the blacksmith.'

`And pray what might you want with him?' retorted my sister, quick to resent his being wanted at all.

`Missis,' returned the gallant sergeant, `speaking for myself, I should reply, the honour and pleasure of his fine wife's acquaintance; speaking for the king, I answer, a little job done.'

This was received as rather neat in the sergeant; insomuch that Mr Pumblechook cried audibly, `Good again!'

`You see, blacksmith,' said the sergeant, who had by this time picked out Joe with his eye, `we have had an accident with these, and I find the lock of one of 'em goes wrong, and the coupling don't act pretty. As they are wanted for immediate service, will you throw your eye over them?'

Joe threw his eye over them, and pronounced that the job would necessitate the lighting of his forge fire, and would take nearer two hours than one, `Will it? Then will you set about it at once, blacksmith?' said the off-hand sergeant, `as it's on his Majesty's service. And if my men can beat a hand anywhere, they'll make themselves useful.' With that, he called to his men, who came trooping into the kitchen one after another, and piled their arms in a corner. And then they stood about, as soldiers do; now, with their hands loosely clasped before them; now, resting a knee or a shoulder; now, easing a belt or a pouch; now, opening the door to spit stiffly over their high stocks, out into the yard.

All these things I saw without then knowing that I saw them, for I was in an agony of apprehension. But, beginning to perceive that the handcuffs were not for me, and that the military had so far got the better of the pie as to put it in the background, I collected a little more of my scattered wits.

`Would you give me the Time?' said the sergeant, addressing himself to Mr Pumblechook, as to a man whose appreciative powers justified the inference that he was equal to the time.

`It's just gone half-past two.'

`That's not so bad,' said the sergeant, reflecting; `even if I was forced to halt here nigh two hours, that'll do. How far might you call yourselves from the marshes, hereabouts? Not above a mile, I reckon?'

`Just a mile,' said Mrs Joe.

`That'll do. We begin to close in upon 'em about dusk. A little before dusk, my orders are. That'll do.'

`Convicts, sergeant?' asked Mr Wopsle, in a matter-of-course way.

`Ay!' returned the sergeant, `two. They're pretty well known to be out on the marshes still, and they won't try to get clear of 'em before dusk. Anybody here seen anything of any such game?'

Everybody, myself excepted, said no, with confidence. Nobody thought of me.