’Surelythenyoumustbequitestarving，sir，’mysisterrepliedwiththegreatestzeal；forshedidloveamanwithanappetite；’howgladIamthatthefireisclear!’ButLizzie，whohappenedtobethere，saidwithherpeculiarsmile，——
’MasterSticklesmustbeusedtoit；forhenevercomesbackwithouttellingusthat。’
’Hush!’criedAnnie，quiteshockedwithher；’howwouldyouliketobeusedtoit？Now，Betty，bequickwiththethingsforme。Pork，ormutton，ordeer’smeat，sir？Wehavesomecuredsincetheautumn。’
’Oh，deer’smeat，byallmeans，’JeremySticklesanswered；’IhavetastednonesinceIleftyou，thoughdreamingofitoften。Well，thisisbetterthanbeingchasedoverthemoorsforone’slife，John。AllthewayfromLandacreBridge，Ihaveriddenaraceformypreciouslife，attheperilofmylimbsandneck。
ThreegreatDoonesgallopingafterme，andagoodjobformethattheyweresobig，ortheymusthaveovertakenme。Justgoandseetomyhorse，John，that’sanexcellentlad。Hedeservesagoodturnthisday，fromme；andIwillrenderittohim。’
Howeverheleftmetodoit，whilehemadehimselfcomfortable：andintruththehorserequiredcare；hewasblownsothathecouldhardlystand，andplasteredwithmud，andsteamingsothatthestablewasquitefullwithit。BythetimeIhadputthepoorfellowtorights，hismasterhadfinisheddinner，andwasinamorepleasanthumour，havingevenofferedtokissAnnie，outofpuregratitude，ashesaid；butAnnieansweredwithspiritthatgratitudemustnotbeshownbyincreasingtheobligation。Jeremymadereplytothisthathisonlywaytobegratefulthenwastotellushisstory：andsohedid，atgreaterlengththanI
canhererepeatit；foritdoesnotbearparticularlyuponLorna’sfortunes。
ItappearsthatashewasridingtowardsusfromthetownofSouthmoltoninDevonshire，hefoundtheroadsverysoftandheavy，andthefloodsoutinalldirections；butmetwithnootherdifficultyuntilhecametoLandacreBridge。Hehadonlyasingletrooperwithhim，amannotofthemilitiabutoftheKing’sarmy，whomJeremyhadbroughtfromExeter。AsthesetwodescendedtowardsthebridgetheyobservedthatboththeKensfordwaterandtheRiverBarlewerepouringdowninmightyfloodsfromthemeltingofthesnow。Sogreatindeedwasthetorrent，aftertheyunited，thatonlytheparapetsofthebridgecouldbeseenabovethewater，theroadacrosseitherbankbeingcoveredandverydeeponthehitherside。Thetrooperdidnotlikethelookofit，andproposedtoridebackagain，androundbywayofSimonsbath，wherethestreamissmaller。ButStickleswouldnothaveitso，anddashingintotheriver，swamhishorseforthebridge，andgaineditwithsomelittletrouble；andtherehefoundthewaternotmorethanuptohishorse’skneesperhaps。Onthecrownofthebridgeheturnedhishorsetowatchthetrooper’spassage，andtohelphimwithdirections；whensuddenlyhesawhimfallheadlongintothetorrent，andheardthereportofagunfrombehind，andfeltashocktohisownbody，suchasliftedhimoutofthesaddle。Turningroundhebeheldthreemen，risenupfrombehindthehedgeononesideofhisonwardroad，twoofthemreadytoloadagain，andonewithhisgununfired，waitingtogetgoodaimathim。ThenJeremydidagallantthing，forwhichI
doubtwhetherIshouldhavehadthepresenceofmindindanger。Hesawthattoswimhishorsebackagainwouldbealmostcertaindeath；asaffordingsuchatarget，whereevenawoundmustbefatal。Thereforehestruckthespursintothenag，androdethroughthewaterstraightatthemanwhowaspointingthelonggunathim。Ifthehorsehadbeencarriedoffhislegs，theremusthavebeenanendofJeremy；fortheothermenweregettingreadytohaveanothershotathim。
Butluckilythehorsegallopedrightonwithoutanyneedforswimming，beinghimselfexcited，nodoubt，byallhehadseenandheardofit。AndJeremylayalmostflatonhisneck，soastogivelittlespaceforgoodaim，withthemanetossingwildlyinfrontofhim。Nowifthatyoungfellowwiththegunhadhisbrainsasreadyashisflintwas，hewouldhaveshotthehorseatonce，andthenhadSticklesathismercy；butinsteadofthatheletflyattheman，andmissedhimaltogether，beingscaredperhapsbythepistolwhichJeremyshowedhimthemouthof。Andgallopingbyatfullspeed，MasterSticklestriedtoleavehismarkbehindhim，forhechangedtheaimofhispistoltothebiggestman，whowasloadinghisgunandcursingliketencannons。Butthepistolmissedfire，nodoubtfromthefloodwhichhadgurgledinovertheholsters；
andJeremyseeingthreehorsestetheredatagatejustupthehill，knewthathehadnotyetescaped，buthadmoreofdangerbehindhim。Hetriedhisothergreatpistolatoneofthehorsestetheredthere，soastolessenifpossiblethenumberofhispursuers。Butthepowderagainfailedhim；andhedurstnotstoptocutthebridles，bearingthemencomingupthehill。
Soheevenmadethemostofhisstart，thankingGodthathisweightwaslight，comparedatleasttowhattheirswas。
Andanotherthinghehadnoticedwhichgavehimsomehopeofescaping，towitthatthehorsesoftheDoones，althoughveryhandsomeanimals，weresufferingstillfromthebittereffectsofthelatelongfrost，andthescarcityoffodder。’Iftheydonotcatchmeup，orshootme，inthecourseofthefirsttwomiles，Imayseemyhomeagain’；thiswaswhathesaidtohimselfasheturnedtomarkwhattheywereabout，fromthebrowofthesteephill。Hesawthefloodedvalleyshiningwiththebreadthofwater，andthetrooper’shorseontheotherside，shakinghisdrenchedflanksandneighing；andhalf-waydownthehillhesawthethreeDoonesmountinghastily。Andthenheknewthathisonlychancelayinthestoutnessofhissteed。
Thehorsewasinprettygoodcondition；andtheriderknewhimthoroughly，andhowtomakethemostofhim；
andthoughtheyhadtravelledsomemilesthatdaythroughveryheavyground，thebathintheriverhadwashedthemudoff，andbeensomerefreshment。
ThereforeSticklesencouragedhisnag，andputhimintoagoodhardgallop，headingawaytowardsWithycombe。
Atfirsthehadthoughtofturningtotheright，andmakingoffforWithypool，amileorsodownthevalley；
buthisgoodsensetoldhimthatnoonetherewoulddaretoprotecthimagainsttheDoones，soheresolvedtogoonhisway；yetfasterthanhehadintended。
Thethreevillainscameafterhim，withallthespeedtheycouldmuster，makingsurefromthebadnessoftheroadthathemuststickfasterelong，andsobeattheirmercy。AndthiswasJeremy’schiefestfear，forthegroundbeingsoftandthoroughlyrotten，aftersomuchfrostandsnow，thepoorhorsehadterribleworkofit，withnotimetopicktheway；andevenmoregoodluckthanskillwasneededtokeephimfromfoundering。
HowJeremyprayedforanExmoorfogsuchashehadoftenswornat，thathemightturnasideandlurk，whilehispursuerswentpasthim!Butnofogcame，norevenastormtodamptheprimingoftheirguns；neitherwaswoodorcoppicenigh，noranyplacetohidein；
onlyhills，andmoor，andvalleys；withflyingshadowsoverthem，andgreatbanksofsnowinthecorners。AtonetimepoorStickleswasquiteindespair；forafterleapingalittlebrookwhichcrossesthetrackatNewland，bestuckfastina’dancingbog，’aswecallthemuponExmoor。Thehorsehadbrokenthroughthecrustofmossandsedgeandmarishweed，andcoulddonothingbutwallowandsink，withtheblackwaterspirtingoverhim。AndJeremy，strugglingwithallhismight，sawthethreevillainsnowtoppingthecrest，lessthanafurlongbehindhim；andheardthemshoutintheirsavagedelight。Withthecalmnessofdespair，heyetresolvedtohaveonemoretryforit；andscramblingoverthehorse’shead，gainedfirmland，andtuggedatthebridle。Thepoornagrepliedwithallhispowertothecalluponhiscourage，andrearedhisforefeetoutoftheslough，andwithstrainingeyeballsgazedathim。’Now，’saidJeremy，’now，myfinefellow!’liftinghimwiththebridle，andthebravebeastgatheredtherollofhisloins，andsprangfromhisquagmiredhaunches。Onemorespring，andhewasonearthagain，insteadofbeingunderit；andJeremyleapedonhisback，andstooped，forheknewthattheywouldfire。Twobulletswhistledoverhim，asthehorse，madwithfright，dashedforward；andinfiveminutesmorehehadcometotheExe，andthepursuershadfallenbehindhim。TheExe，thoughamuchsmallerstreamthantheBarle，nowraninafoamingtorrent，unbridged，andtoowideforleaping。ButJeremy’shorsetookthewaterwell；andbothheandhisriderwerelightened，aswellascomfortedbyit。AndastheypassedtowardsLucotthill，andstruckuponthefountsofLynn，thehorsesofthethreepursuersbegantotireunderthem。ThenJeremySticklesknewthatifhecouldonlyescapethesloughs，hewassafeforthepresent；andsohestoodupinhisstirrups，andgavethemaloudhalloo，asiftheyhadbeensomanyfoxes。
Theironlyanswerwastofiretheremainingchargeathim；butthedistancewastoogreatforanyaimfromhorseback；andthedroppingbulletidlyploughedthesodupononesideofhim。Heacknowledgeditwithawaveofhishat，andlaidonethumbtohisnose，inthemannerfashionableinLondonforexpressionofcontempt。However，theyfollowedhimyetfarther；
hopingtomakehimpayoutdearly，ifheshouldonlymissthetrack，orfalluponmorasses。ButtheneighbourhoodofourLynnstreamisnotsoveryboggy；
andtheKing’smessengernowknewhiswayaswellasanyofhispursuersdid；andsohearrivedatPlover’sBarrows，thankful，andinrareappetite。
’Butwasthepoorsoldierdrowned？’askedAnnie；’andyouneverwenttolookforhim!Oh，howverydreadful!’
’Shot，ordrowned；Iknownotwhich。ThankGoditwasonlyatrooper。Buttheyshallpayforit，asdearlyasifithadbeenacaptain。’
’Andhowwasityouwerestruckbyabullet，andonlyshakeninyoursaddle？Hadyouacoatofmailon，orofMilanesechain-armour？Now，MasterStickles，hadyou？’
’No，MistressLizzie；wedonotwearthingsofthatkindnowadays。Youareapt，Iperceive，atromances。
ButIhappenedtohavealittleflatbottleofthebeststonewareslungbeneathmysaddle-cloak，andfilledwiththeverybesteaudevie，fromtheGeorgeHotel，atSouthmolton。Thebrandofitnowisuponmyback。
Oh，themurderousscoundrels，whatabravespirittheyhavespilled!’
’YouhadbettersettoandthankGod，’saidI，’thattheyhavenotspilledabraverone。’
ItwasonlyrightinJeremyStickles，andofthesimplestcommonsense，thathewouldnottell，beforeourgirls，whattheresultofhisjourneywas。Butheledmeasideinthecourseoftheevening，andtoldmeallaboutit；sayingthatIknew，aswellashedid，thatitwasnotwoman’sbusiness。ThisItook，asitwasmeant，foragentlecautionthatLornawhomhehadnotseenasyetmustnotheinformedofanyofhisdoings。HereinIquiteagreedwithhim；notonlyforhisfurtherance，butbecauseIalwaysthinkthatwomen，ofwhatevermind，arebestwhenleasttheymeddlewiththethingsthatappertaintomen。
MasterSticklescomplainedthattheweatherhadbeenagainsthimbitterly，closingalltheroadsaroundhim；
evenasithaddonewithus。Ithadtakenhimeightdays，hesaid，togetfromExetertoPlymouth；whitherhefoundthatmostofthetroopshadbeendraftedofffromExeter。Whenallweretold，therewasbutabattalionofoneoftheKing’shorseregiments，andtwocompaniesoffootsoldiers；andtheircommandershadorders，laterthanthedateofJeremy’scommission，onnoaccounttoquitthesoutherncoast，andmarchinland。Therefore，althoughtheywouldgladlyhavecomeforabrushwiththecelebratedDoones，itwasmorethantheydurstattempt，inthefaceoftheirinstructions。However，theysparedhimasingletrooper，asacompanionoftheroad，andtoprovetothejusticesofthecounty，andthelordlieutenant，thathehadtheirapproval。
TotheseauthoritiesMasterSticklesnowwasforcedtoaddresshimself，althoughhewouldratherhavehadonetrooperthanascorefromtheverybesttrainedbands。
Forthesetrainedbandshadaffordedverygoodsoldiers，inthetimeofthecivilwars，andforsomeyearsafterwards；butnowtheirdisciplinewasgone；
andtheyoungergenerationhadseennorealfighting。
Eachwouldhavehisownopinion，andwouldwanttoargueit；andifhewerenotallowed，hewentabouthisdutyinsuchatemperastoprovethathisownwaywasthebest。