"How, now, fellow!" cried Borroughcliffe; "what have you to say to your charge!"
"I believe the men sleep, your honor; for I have heard no noises from the rooms since I relieved the last sentinel."
"The lads are weary, and are right to catch what sleep they can in their comfortable quarters," returned the captain. "Stand to your arms, sirrah! and throw back your shoulders; and do not move like a crab, or a train-band corporal; do you not see an officer of horse coming up? Would you disgrace your regiment?"
"Ah! your honor, Heaven only knows whether I shall ever get my shoulders even again."
"Buy another plaster," said Borroughcliffe, slipping a shilling into his hand; "observe, you know nothing but your duty."
"To mind me, and be silent. But here comes the sergeant with his guard: he will relieve you."
The rest of the party stopped at the other end of the gallery, to allow the few files of soldiers who were led by the orderly to pass them, when they all moved towards the prison in a body. The sentinel was relieved in due military style; when Dillon placed his hand on one of the doors, and said, with a malicious sneer:
"Open here first, Mr. Sergeant; this cage holds the man we most want."
"Softly, softly, my Lord Chief Justice, and most puissant Cacique," said the captain; "the hour has not yet come to empanel a jury of fat yeomen, and no man must interfere with my boys but myself."
"The rebuke is harsh, I must observe, Captain Borroughcliffe," said the colonel, "but I pardon it because it is military. No, no, Kit these nice points must be left to martial usages. Be not impatient, my cousin; I doubt not the hour will come, when you shall hold the scales of justice and satisfy your loyal longings on many a traitor. Zounds! I could almost turn executioner myself in such a cause!"
"I can curb my impatience, sir," returned Dillon, with hypocritical meekness, and great self-command, though his eyes were gleaming with savage exultation. "I beg pardon of Captain Borroughcliffe, if, in my desire to render the civil authority superior to the military, I have trespassed on your customs."
"You see, Borroughcliffe!" exclaimed the colonel, exultingly, "the lad is ruled by an instinct in all matters of law and justice. I hold it to be impossible that a man thus endowed can ever become a disloyal subject. But our breakfast waits, and Mr. Fitzgerald has breathed his horse this cool morning; let us proceed at once to the examination."