The Settlers at Home | Page 6

still, to comfort him; so
that nothing that Mildred said was heard. At last, she pulled Ailwin's
apron, so that the tall woman stooped down, to ask what she wanted.
"I do not think it is the gipsies," said she. "I am afraid it is worse than
that. I am afraid it is the Redfurns. This is just the way they settle
themselves--in just that sort of tent--when they come to fowl, all
autumn."
"If I catch that Roger," said Ailwin, "I'll--." And she clenched her hand,
as if she meant to do terrible things, if she caught Roger.
"I will go and call father, shall I?" said Mildred, her teeth chattering, as

she stood in the hot sun.
She was turning to go up the garden, when a laugh from George made
her look back again. She saw a head covered with an otter-skin
cap,--the face looking very cross and threatening, peeping over the
hedge,--which was so high above the marsh, that the person must have
climbed the bank on purpose to look into the garden. There was no
mistaking the face. It was certainly Roger Redfurn--the plague of the
settlers, who, with his uncle, Stephen Redfurn, was always doing all the
mischief he could to everybody who had, as he said, trespassed on the
marshes. Nobody liked to see the Redfurns sitting down in the
neighbourhood; and still less, skulking about the premises. Mildred
flew towards the mill; while Ailwin, who never stopped to consider
what was wise, and might not, perhaps, have hit upon wisdom if she
had, took up a stone, and told Roger he had better be gone, for that he
had no friends here. Roger seemed to have just come from some
orchard; for he pulled a hard apple out of his pocket, aimed it at
Ailwin's head, and struck her such a blow on the nose as made her eyes
water. While she was wiping her eyes with her apron, and trying to see
again, Roger coaxed the child to bring him his apple again, and
disappeared.
When Mildred reached the mill, she found Pastor Dendel there, talking
with her father about sending some manure to his land. The pastor was
so busy, that he only gave her a nod; and she had therefore time to
recover herself, instead of frightening everybody with her looks and her
news at once. Oliver could not stay in the house while the pastor was at
the mill: so he stood behind him, chipping away at the rough part of his
work. Mildred whispered to him that the Redfurns were close at hand.
She saw Oliver turn very red, though he told her not to be frightened.
Perhaps the pastor perceived this too, when he turned round, for he
said--
"What is the matter, children? Mildred, what have you been doing, that
you are so out of breath? Have you been running all the way from
Lincoln spire?"
"No, sir; not running--but--"

"The Redfurns are come, sir," cried Oliver. "Father, the Redfurns are
come."
"Roger has been peeping over the hedge into the garden," cried Mildred,
sinking into tears.
The miller looked grave, and said here was an end of all peace, for
some time to come.
"Are you all at the mercy of a boy like Roger Redfurn," asked the
pastor, "so that you look as if a plague had come with this fresh
breeze?"
"And his uncle, sir."
"And his aunt," added Mildred.
"You know what Stephen Redfurn is, sir," observed Mr Linacre.
"Roger beats even him for mischief. And we are at their mercy, sir.
There is not a magistrate, as you know, that will hear a complaint from
one of us against the country-people. We get nothing but trouble, and
expense, and ridicule, by making complaints. We know this beforehand;
for the triumph is always on the other side."
"It is hard," said the pastor: "but still,--here is only a man, a woman,
and a boy. Cannot you defend yourselves against them?"
"No, sir; because they are not an honourable enemy," replied Mr
Linacre. "If Stephen would fight it out with me on even ground, we
would see who would beat: and I dare say my boy there, though none
of the roughest, would stand up against Roger. But such fair trials do
not suit them, sir. People who creep through drains, to do us mischief,
and hide in the reeds when we are up and awake, and come in among
us only when we are asleep, are a foe that may easily ruin any honest
man, who cannot get protection from the law. They houghed my cow,
two years ago, sir."
"And they mixed all mother's feathers, for the whole year," exclaimed

Mildred.
"And they blinded my dog," cried Oliver;--"put out its eyes."
"Oh! What