"
"He is yet asleep," replied the man, "and he makes such a noise, I could
hardly hear the bugles sound the alarm."
"Open the door and bring him forth."
The order was obeyed; but to the utter amazement of the honest veteran
who entered the prison, he found the room in no little disorder--the
coat of the peddler where his body ought to have been, and part of the
wardrobe of Betty scattered in disorder on the floor. The washerwoman
herself occupied the pallet, in profound mental oblivion, clad as when
last seen, excepting a little black bonnet, which she so constantly
wore, that it was commonly thought she made it perform the double duty
of both day and night cap. The noise of their entrance, and the
exclamations of their party, awoke the woman.
"Is it the breakfast that's wanting?" said Betty, rubbing her eyes.
"Faith, ye look as if ye would ate myself--but patience, a little,
darlings, and ye'll see sich a fry as never was."
"Fry!" echoed the sergeant, forgetful of his religious philosophy, and
the presence of his officers. "We'll have you roasted, Jezebel!--you've
helped that damned peddler to escape."
"Jezebel back ag'in in your own teeth, and damned piddler too, Mr.
Sargeant!" cried Betty, who was easily roused. "What have I to do with
piddlers, or escapes? I might have been a piddler's lady, and wore my
silks, if I'd had Sawny M'Twill, instead of tagging at the heels of a
parcel of dragooning rapscallions, who don't know how to trate a lone
body with dacency.
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