David, confidential servant and head man to Aunt Hester, of the
cloth works at Ellton, looked sharply round at the half-dozen
heavily-laden mules behind him; and beyond them he saw another
dozen or so of men, and more were coming from among the trees to
right and left.
"Hoi! all of you," cried David to his men. "Swords out! We must
fight for the mistress's cloth."
As he spoke, he seized the hilt of his sword and began to tug at
it; but it would not leave its sheath, and all the while he was
kicking at his horse's ribs with his heels, with the result that
the stout cob gave a kick and a plunge, lowered its head, and
dashed off at a gallop, with David holding on to the pommel.
Two of the men made a snatch at the reins, but they were too late,
and turned to the mule-drivers, who were following their leader's
example and trying to escape amongst the trees, leaving the mules
huddled together, squealing and kicking in their fright.
Young Robin just saw two packages roll to the ground as the cob
dashed off; then he was holding on with all his might to old
David's belt as the cob galloped away with half-a-dozen of the
robbers trying to cut it off.
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