The Young Buglers | Page 6

who had resisted,
became very quiet indeed, and presently took an opportunity, when he
thought that he was not observed, of slipping his pistols under the
tarpaulin behind him.
"I hope those dreadful men won't stop our coach," Rhoda said.
"They won't hurt you if they do, Rhoda," Tom said assuringly. "I think
it would be rather a lark. I say, Peter," he went on in a whisper, "I think
we might astonish them with those pistols that coward next to you has
hid behind him."
"I should just think so," Peter said; "the bargee at Eton would be
nothing to it."
The hours went slowly on. Rhoda and the boys dozed uncomfortably
against each other and the baggage behind them, until they were
suddenly roused by a shout in the road beside them: "Stand for your
lives!"
The moon was up, and they could see that there were three horsemen.
One galloped to the horses' heads, and seized the rein of one of the
leaders, the others rode by the coach.
The first answer to the challenge was a discharge from the blunderbuss
of the guard, which brought one of the highwaymen from his horse.
The other, riding up to the side of the coach, fired at the guard, and a
loud cry told that the shot had taken effect. In another moment the
fellow was by the side of the coachman.
"Hold up!" he said, "or I will blow your brains out!"
The coachman did as he was ordered, and indeed the man at the leader's
head had almost succeeded in stopping them. The passenger next to the
boys had, at the first challenge, again seized his pistols, and the boys
thought that he was going to fire after all.

"Lie down at our feet, Rhoda, quick!" Tom said, "and don't move till I
tell you." The fate of the guard evidently frightened away the
short-lived courage of the passenger, for, as the coachman again pulled
up, he hastily thrust the pistols in behind him.
"Get down, every one of you," the highwayman shouted.
"Lie still, Rhoda," Tom whispered. "Now, Peter, get in underneath the
tarpaulin."
This was done as the passengers descended. The luggage was not so
heavily piled as usual, and the boys found plenty of room beneath the
tarpaulin.
"Now, Peter, you take one of these pistols and give me the other. Now
peep out. The moon is hidden, which is a good thing; now, look here,
you shall shoot that fellow standing down below, who is swearing at
the ladies inside for not getting out quicker. I'll take a shot at that
fellow standing in front of the horse's heads."
"Do you think you can hit him, Tom?"
"I have not the least idea, but I can try; and if you hit the other one, the
chances are he'll bolt, whether I hit him or not. Open the tarpaulin at the
side so as to see well, and rest the pistol upon something. You must
take a good shot, Peter, for if you miss him we shall be in a mess."
"All right," Peter said, in a whisper, "I can almost touch him with the
pistol."
In loud and brutal tones the highwayman now began to order the
frightened ladies to give up their watches and rings, enforcing his
commands with terrible curses. When suddenly a pistol flashed out just
behind him, and he fell off his horse with a ball through his shoulder.
Tom's shot, though equally well intended, was not so truly aimed. The
highwayman had dismounted, and was standing just in front of the
leaders, so that Tom had a fair view of him between them. The boys

had both occasionally fired their father's pistols, for, in those days, each
householder in the country always kept loaded pistols in his room, but
his skill was not sufficient to make sure of a man at that distance. The
bullet flew past at two feet to the left of his head. But its effect was
scarcely less startling than if it had actually hit him, for, in its passage,
it passed through the ear of the off leader. The horse made a start at the
sudden pain, and then dashed forward. The rest of the team, already
alarmed by the shot, followed her lead; before the startled highwayman
could get out of the way they were upon him, in another instant he was
under their heels, and the coach gave a sudden lurch as it passed over
his body.
"Lie still, Rhoda, a little longer; it's all right, but the horses have run
away," Tom exclaimed, as he scrambled forward, and caught hold of
the reins, which the coachman had tied to the rail of the seat as he got
down. "Catch hold of the