There I lay on the floor of the hall well-nigh spent, and Mary
Cavendish was chafing my hands, bandaging my wounds with some linen
got, I knew not whence, and Catherine was there, and all the time
the great battering blows upon the door were kept up, and also on
the window-shutters, and the door began to shake.
Then I remembered something. There was behind the house a creek
which was dry in midsummer, but often, as now, in springtime,
swollen with rains, and of sufficient depth and force to float a
boat. And when it was possible it had been the custom to send stores
of tobacco for lading on shipboard to England, by this short cut of
the creek which discharged itself into the river below, and there
was for that purpose a great boat in the cellar, and also a door and
a little landing.
I, remembering this, whispered to Mary Cavendish with all the
strength which I could muster.
"For God's sake," I cried, "go you to the cellar, the boat, the
boat, the creek."
But Mary looked at me, and I can see her face now.
"Think you I did not know of that way?" she said, "and think you I
would leave you here to die? No, let them come in and do their
worst."
Then I turned to Catherine and pleaded with her as well as I could
with those thundering blows upon the door, and I well-nigh fainting
and my blood flowing fast, and she did not answer at all but looked
at me.
Then I turned to Sir Humphrey Hyde. "For God's sake, lad," I cried,
"if you love her, save her. Only a moment and they will be in here.
Hear the door tremble, and then 'twill be arrest and imprisonment,
and--I tell thee, lad, leave me, and save them."
"They can do as they choose," cried Mary. Then she turned to Sir
Humphrey. "Take Catherine, and she will show you the way out by the
creek," she said. "As for me, I remain here."
Catherine bent over me and tightened a bandage, but she did not
speak. Sir Humphrey looked at me palely and doubtfully.
"Harry," he said, "I can carry thee to the boat and we can all
escape in that way."
"Yes," I replied, "but if I escape through them, 'twill serve to
convict them, and--and--besides, lad, I cannot be moved for
the bleeding of my wounds, such a long way; and besides, it is at
the best arrest for me, since I have been seen by the whole posse
and have shot down Captain Waller. Whither could I fly, pray? Not
back to England. Me they will take in custody in any case, and they
will not shoot a wounded captive. My life is safe for the time
being. Humphrey--" With that I beckoned him to lean over me,
which he did, putting his ear close.