Bagg says that
he stopped short, as suddenly as if he had heard the word halt, when
marching at double-quick time. It was quite a surprise, he says, and he
can't imagine how the fellow was so close upon him before he was aware.
He was an immense tall fellow--Bagg thinks at least two inches taller
than himself--very well dressed in a blue coat and buff breeches, for all
the world like a squire when going out hunting. Bagg, however, saw at
once that he had a roguish air, and he was on his guard in a moment.
"Good evening to ye, sodger," says the fellow, stepping close up to Bagg,
and staring him in the face. "Good evening to you, sir! I hope you are
well," says Bagg. "You are looking after some one?" says the fellow.
"Just so, sir," says Bagg, and forthwith seized him by the collar; the
man laughed, Bagg says it was such a strange awkward laugh. "Do you know
whom you have got hold of, sodger?" said he. "I believe I do, sir," said
Bagg, "and in that belief will hold you fast in the name of King George,
and the quarter sessions;" the next moment he was sprawling with his
heels in the air. Bagg says there was nothing remarkable in that; he was
only flung by a kind of wrestling trick, which he could easily have
baffled, had he been aware of it. "You will not do that again, sir,"
said he, as he got up and put himself on his guard. The fellow laughed
again more strangely and awkwardly than before; then, bending his body
and moving his head from one side to the other, as a cat does before she
springs, and crying out, "Here's for ye, sodger!" he made a dart at Bagg,
rushing in with his head foremost.
Pages:
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85