The Toll-Gate Read Online Free PDF Page A

"There's some rum left," he said.
    "There won't be presently," replied John, watching the boy's fearless handling of his horse. The mild jest was well-received, a friendly grin being cast up at him. He said casually: "Do you work in a stable?"
    "Some days I does. Others it's all sorts," replied Ben. "Mr. Sopworthy hires me mostly."
    "Who is he?"
    "Buffer, at Crowford. Blue Boar," said Ben, beginning to wipe the stirrups with a piece of sacking.
    "Innkeeper?" hazarded John.
    "Ay."
    "Does your dad keep a horse?"
    The wary look came back into Ben's face. "No." He eyed John sideways. "That horse-cloth ain't me dad's. It—it belongs to a friend. He comes here sometimes. Maybe he wouldn't like you using of it, so—so you don't want to go saying anything about it, please, sir! Nor about him, acos—acos he don't like meeting no strangers!"
    "Shy, is he? I won't say anything," promised John, wondering if this were perhaps the man of whom Ben was afraid. He was by this time convinced that some mystery hung about the toll-house, with which, no doubt, the disappearance of its custodian was connected; but he was wise enough to keep this reflection to himself, since it was plain that Ben, in the manner of a colt, was uncertain of him, ready to shy off in a panic.
    When Beau had been covered with the blanket, and left to lip over an armful of hay, Ben led the Captain up the garden to the back of the toll-house, where a central door opened into a small kitchen. The house, as John quickly saw, was of the usual pattern. It consisted of two tolerable rooms with another between them, which had been divided into two by a wooden partition. The rear half was the kitchen, and the front the toll-office. The kitchen was small, over-warm, and extremely untidy.
    Since it was lit by a couple of dip-candles in tin holders, an unpleasant aroma of hot tallow hung about it. But the Captain knew from past experiences in the more primitive parts of Portugal that the human nose could rapidly accustom itself to even worse smells, and he entered the room without misgiving. Ben shut and bolted the door, set down the lantern, and produced from the cupboard a black bottle, and a thick tumbler. "I'll mix you a bumper," he offered.
    The Captain, who had seated himself in the Windsor chair by the fire, grinned, but said: "Much obliged to you, but I think I'll mix it myself. If you want to make yourself useful, see if you can pull off these boots of mine!"
    This operation, which took time, and all Ben's strength, did much to break the ice. It seemed to Ben exquisitely humorous that he should tumble nearly heels over head, clasping a muddied top-boot to his chest.
    He began to giggle, forgetting his awe, and looked all at once much younger than John had at first supposed him to be. He disclosed, upon enquiry, that he was going on for eleven.
    Having found a pair of pumps in his saddle-bag, John mixed himself a glass of hot rum and water, and sat down again with his legs stretched out before him, and his boots standing beside the hearth to dry. "That's better," he said, leaning his fair head against the high-back of the chair, and smiling sleepily across at his host. "Tell me, are we likely to be called out very often to open that gate?"
    Ben shook his head. "No one don't come this way after dark much," he said. "'Sides, it's raining fit to bust itself."
    "Good!" said John. "Where am I going to sleep?"
    "You could have me dad's bed," suggested Ben doubtfully.
    "Thank you, I will. Where do you think your dad may have gone to?"
    "I dunno," said Ben simply.
    "Does he often go away like this?"
    "No. He never done it afore—not like this. And he ain't gone on the mop, because he ain't no fuddlecap, not me dad. And if he don't come back, they'll put me on the Parish."
    "I expect he'll come back," said John soothingly. "Have you got any other relations? Brothers? Uncles?"
    "I got a brother. Leastways, unless he's been drownded, I have. He was pressed. I shouldn't wonder if I