- end_line
- 3427
- extracted_at
- 2026-01-30T20:48:05.590Z
- extracted_by
- structure-extraction-lambda
- start_line
- 3373
- text
- Without more ado, slipping off the Squire’s raiment, he donned the
scarecrow’s, after carefully shaking out the hay, which, from many
alternate soakings and bakings in rain and sun, had become quite broken
up, and would have been almost dust, were it not for the mildew which
damped it. But sufficient of this wretched old hay remained adhesive to
the inside of the breeches and coat-sleeves, to produce the most
irritating torment.
The grand moral question now came up, what to do with the purse. Would
it be dishonest under the circumstances to appropriate that purse?
Considering the whole matter, and not forgetting that he had not
received from the gentleman deceased the promised reward for his
services as courier, Israel concluded that he might justly use the
money for his own. To which opinion surely no charitable judge will
demur. Besides, what should he do with the purse, if not use it for his
own? It would have been insane to have returned it to the relations.
Such mysterious honesty would have but resulted in his arrest as a
rebel, or rascal. As for the Squire’s clothes, handkerchief, and
spectacle-case, they must be put out of sight with all dispatch. So,
going to a morass not remote, Israel sunk them deep down, and heaped
tufts of the rank sod upon them. Then returning to the field of corn,
sat down under the lee of a rock, about a hundred yards from where the
scarecrow had stood, thinking which way he now had best direct his
steps. But his late ramble coming after so long a deprivation of rest,
soon produced effects not so easy to be shaken off, as when reposing
upon the haycock. He felt less anxious too, since changing his apparel.
So before he was aware, he fell into deep sleep.
When he awoke, the sun was well up in the sky. Looking around he saw a
farm-laborer with a pitchfork coming at a distance into view, whose
steps seemed bent in a direction not far from the spot where he lay.
Immediately it struck our adventurer that this man must be familiar
with the scarecrow; perhaps had himself fashioned it. Should he miss it
then, he might make immediate search, and so discover the thief so
imprudently loitering upon the very field of his operations.
Waiting until the man momentarily disappeared in a little hollow,
Israel ran briskly to the identical spot where the scarecrow had stood,
where, standing stiffly erect, pulling the hat well over his face, and
thrusting out his arm, pointed steadfastly towards the Squire’s abode,
he awaited the event. Soon the man reappeared in sight, and marching
right on, paused not far from Israel, and gave him an one earnest look,
as if it were his daily wont to satisfy that all was right with the
scarecrow. No sooner was the man departed to a reasonable distance,
than, quitting his post, Israel struck across the fields towards
London. But he had not yet quite quitted the field when it occurred to
him to turn round and see if the man was completely out of sight, when,
to his consternation, he saw the man returning towards him, evidently
by his pace and gesture in unmixed amazement. The man must have turned
round to look before Israel had done so. Frozen to the ground, Israel
knew not what to do; but next moment it struck him that this very
motionlessness was the least hazardous plan in such a strait. Thrusting
out his arm again towards the house, once more he stood stock still,
and again awaited the event.
- title
- Chunk 1