452
WYLDER'S HAJVD.
had a couple of flags, and some music. It was "a
regular, planned thing; " for the Queen's Bracton people
had been dropping in an hour before. The shopkeepers
were shutting their windows. Sir Harry was " chaffing
the Capting," and hitting him very hard "for a hupstart"
— and, in fact, Crump was more particular in reporting
the worthy Baronet's language than was absolutely ne-
cessary. And it was thought that Sir Harry was going
to canvass the town.
The Captain was very much obliged, indeed, and begged
they would go into the parlor, and take luncheon; and,
forthwith, Wealdon took the command. The gamekeepers,
the fifty haymakers in the great meadow, they were to
enter the town from the top of Church-street, where they
were to gather all the boys and blackguards they could.
The men from thegas-works; the masons, and blacksmiths,
were to be marched in by Luke Samways. Tom Wealdon
would, himself, in passing, give the men at the coal-works
a hint. Sir Harry's invasion was the most audacious
thing on record; and it was incumbent on Gylingden to
make his defeat memorably disgraceful and disastrous.
His barouche was to be smashed, and burnt on the green;
his white topcoat and hat were to clothe the effigy, which
was to swing over the bonfire. The captured Bracton
banners were to hang in the coffee-room of the "Silver
Lion," to inspire the roughs. What was to become of
the human portion of the hostile pageant, Tom, being an
official person, did not choose to hint.
t All these, and fifty minor measures, were ordered by
the fertile Wealdon in a minute, and suitable messengers
on the wing to see after them. The Captain, accompanied
by Mr. Jekyl, myself, and a couple of the grave scriveners
from the next room, where to go by the back approach
and Redman's Dell to the Assembly Rooms, which Crump