Page 301 - A Jacobite Exile

After the meal they sallied out again, and walked to the tavern, which was a
small place standing apart from other houses. There was a light in the

taproom, but they guessed that here, as at the other stopping place, the man
they wanted would be in a private apartment. Passing the house, they saw a

light in a side window, and, noiselessly opening a little wicket gate, they
stole into the garden. Going a short distance back from the window, so that
the light should not show their faces, they looked in, and saw the man they

sought sitting by the fire, with a table on which stood a bottle and two
glasses beside him, and another man facing him.

"Stay where you are, Harry. I will steal up to the window, and find out
whether I can hear what they are saying."

Stooping close under the window, he could hear the murmur of voices, but

could distinguish no words. He rejoined his companion.

"I am going to make a trial to overhear them, Harry, and it is better that

only one of us should be here. You go back to the inn, and wait for me
there."

"What are you going to do, Charlie?"

"I am going to throw a stone through the lower part of the window. Then I
shall hide. They will rush out, and when they can find no one, they will

conclude that the stone was thrown by some mischievous boy going along
the road. When all is quiet again I will creep up to the window, and it will
be hard if I don't manage to learn something of what they are saying."

The plan was carried out, and Charlie, getting close up to the window,

threw a stone through one of the lowest of the little diamond-shaped panes.
He heard a loud exclamation of anger inside, and then sprang away and hid
himself at the other end of the garden. A moment later he heard loud

talking in the road, and a man with a lantern came round to the window; but
in a few minutes all was quiet again, and Charlie cautiously made his way

back to the window, and crouched beneath it. He could hear plainly
enough, now, the talk going on within.