Itislikelyenoughthatgoodfolkwillthinkitharduponourneighbourhoodtobethreatened，andsometimesheavilypunished，forkindnessandhumanity；andyettobelefttohelpourselvesagainsttyranny，andbaserapine。Andnowatlastourgorgewasrisen，andourheartsintumult。Wehadborneourtroubleslong，asawiseandwholesomechastisement；quitecontenttohavesomefewthingsofourownunmeddledwith。Butwhatcouldamandaretocallhisown，orwhatrightcouldhehavetowishforit，whilehelefthiswifeandchildrenatthepleasureofanystranger？
Thepeoplecameflockingallaroundme，attheblacksmith’sforge，andtheBrendonalehouse；andI
couldscarcecomeoutofchurch，buttheygotmeamongthetombstones。TheyallagreedthatIwasboundtotakecommandandmanagement。Ibadethemgotothemagistrates，buttheysaidtheyhadbeentoooften。
ThenItoldthemthatIhadnowitsfororderingofanarmament，althoughIcouldfindfaultenoughwiththeonewhichhadnotsucceeded。Buttheywouldhearkentononeofthis。
Alltheysaidwas’Trytoleadus；andwewilltrynottorunaway。’
Thisseemedtometobecommonsense，andgoodstuff，insteadofmerebragging；moreover，ImyselfwasmovedbythebitterwrongsofMargery，havingknownherattheSunday-school，ereeverIwenttoTiverton；andhavinginthosedays，seriousthoughtsofmakinghermysweetheart；althoughshewasthreeyearsmyelder。ButnowIfeltthisdifficulty——theDooneshadbehavedverywelltoourfarm，andtomother，andallofus，whileI
wasawayinLondon。Therefore，woulditnotbeshabby，andmean，formetoattackthemnow？
Yetbeingpressedstillharderandharder，asdaybydaytheexcitementgrewwithmoreandmoretalkingoverit，andnooneelsecomingforwardtoundertakethebusiness，Iagreedatlasttothis；thatiftheDoones，uponfairchallenge，wouldnotendeavourtomakeamendsbygivingupMistressMargery，aswellasthemanwhohadslainthebabe，thenIwouldleadtheexpedition，anddomybesttosubduethem。Allourmenwerecontentwiththis，beingthoroughlywellassuredfromexperience，thatthehaughtyrobberswouldonlyshootanymanwhodurstapproachthemwithsuchproposal。
Andthenaroseadifficultquestion——whowastotaketheriskofmakingoverturessounpleasant？Iwaitedfortheresttooffer；andasnonewasready，theburdenfellonme，andseemedtobeofmyowninviting。
HenceIundertookthetask，soonerthanreasonaboutit；fortogivethecauseofeverythingisworsethantogothroughwithit。
Itmayhavebeenthreeoftheafternoon，whenleavingmywitnessesbehindfortheypreferredthebackground
IappearedwithourLizzie’swhitehandkerchiefuponakidney-beanstick，attheentrancetotherobbers’
dwelling。Scarceknowingwhatmightcomeofit，IhadtakenthewiseprecautionoffasteningaBibleovermyheart，andanotheracrossmyspinalcolumn，incaseofhavingtorunaway，withrudemenshootingafterme。
FormymothersaidthattheWordofGodwouldstopatwo-inchbullet，withthreeouncesofpowderbehindit。
NowItooknoweapons，savethoseoftheSpirit，forfearofbeingmisunderstood。ButIcouldnotbringmyselftothinkthatanyofhonourablebirthwouldtakeadvantageofanunarmedmancominginguiseofpeacetothem。
Andthisconclusionofmineheldgood，atleastforacertainlengthoftime；inasmuchastwodecentDoonesappeared，andhearingofmypurpose，offered，withoutviolence，togoandfetchtheCaptain；ifIwouldstopwhereIwas，andnotbegintospyaboutanything。Tothis，ofcourse，Iagreedatonce；forIwantednomorespying，becauseIhadthoroughknowledgeofallinsandoutsalready。Therefore，Istoodwaitingsteadily，withonehandinmypocketfeelingasampleofcornformarket；andtheotheragainsttherock，whileI
wonderedtoseeitsobrownalready。
Thosemencamebackinalittlewhile，withasharpshortmessagethatCaptainCarverwouldcomeoutandspeaktomeby-and-by，whenhispipewasfinished。
Accordingly，Iwaitedlong，andwetalkedaboutthesignsofbloomforthecomingappleseason，andtherainthathadfallenlastWednesdaynight，andtheprincipaldearthofDevonshire，thatitwillnotgrowmanycowslips——whichwequiteagreedtobetheprettiestofspringflowers；andallthetimeIwaswonderinghowmanyblackanddeadlydeedsthesetwoinnocentyouthshadcommitted，evensincelastChristmas。
Atlength，aheavyandhaughtystepsoundedalongthestoneroofoftheway；andthenthegreatCarverDoonedrewup，andlookedatmeratherscornfully。Notwithanyspokenscorn，norflashofstrongcontumely；butwiththatairofthinkinglittle，andprayingnottobetroubled，whichalwaysvexesamanwhofeelsthatheoughtnottobedespisedso，andyetknowsnothowtohelpit。
’Whatisityouwant，youngman？’heasked，asifhehadneverseenmebefore。
InspiteofthatstrongloathingwhichIalwaysfeltatsightofhim，Icommandedmytempermoderately，andtoldhimthatIwascomeforhisgood，andthatofhisworshipfulcompany，farmorethanformyown。Thatageneralfeelingofindignationhadarisenamongusattherecentbehaviourofcertainyoungmen，forwhichhemightnotbeanswerable，andforwhichwewouldnotcondemnhim，withoutknowingtherightsofthequestion。ButIbeggedhimclearlytounderstandthatavileandinhumanwronghadbeendone，andsuchaswecouldnotputupwith；butthatifhewouldmakewhatamendshecouldbyrestoringthepoorwoman，andgivingupthatodiousbrutewhohadslaintheharmlessinfant，wewouldtakenofurthermotion；andthingsshouldgoonasusual。AsIputthisinthefewestwordsthatwouldmeetmypurpose，Iwasgrievedtoseeadisdainfulsmilespreadonhissallowcountenance。
Thenhemademeabowofmockcourtesy，andrepliedasfollows，——
’SirJohn，yournewhonourshaveturnedyourpoorhead，asmighthavebeenexpected。Wearenotinthehabitofdesertinganythingthatbelongstous；farlessoursacredrelatives。Theinsolenceofyourdemandwell-nighoutdoestheingratitude。IftherebeamanuponExmoorwhohasgrosslyill-usedus，kidnappedouryoungwomen，andslainhalfadozenofouryoungmen，youarethatoutrageousrogue，SirJohn。Andafterallthis，howhavewebehaved？Wehavelaidnohanduponyourfarm，wehavenotcarriedoffyourwomen，wehaveevenallowedyoutotakeourQueen，bycreepingandcrawlingtreachery；andwehavegivenyouleaveofabsencetohelpyourcousinthehighwayman，andtocomehomewithatitle。Andnow，howdoyourequiteus？Byinflamingtheboorishindignationatalittlefrolicofouryoungmen；andbycomingwithinsolentdemands，toyieldtowhichwouldruinus。Ah，youungratefulviper!’
Asheturnedawayinsorrowfromme，shakinghisheadatmybadness，Ibecamesoovercomeneverhavingbeenquiteassured，evenbypeople’spraises，aboutmyowngoodness；moreover，thelightwhichhethrewuponthingsdifferedsogreatlyfrommyown，that，inaword——nottobetoolong——IfearedthatIwasavillain。Andwithmanybitterpangs——forIhavebadthingstorepentof——IbeganatmyleisuretoaskmyselfwhetherornotthisbillofindictmentagainstJohnRiddwastrue。SomeofitIknewtobehowevermuchIcondemnedmyselfaltogetheroutofreason；forinstance，aboutmygoingawaywithLornaveryquietly，overthesnow，andtosavemylovefrombeingstarvedawayfromme。Inthistherewasnocreepingneithercrawlingtreachery；forallwasdonewithsliding；andyetIwassooutoftrainingforbeingchargedbyotherpeoplebeyondmineownconscience，thatCarverDoone’sharshwordscameonme，likepricklyspinachsownwithraking。ThereforeIreplied，andsaid，——
’ItistruethatIoweyougratitude，sir，foracertaintimeofforbearance；anditistoprovemygratitudethatIamcomeherenow。Idonotthinkthatmyevildeedscanbesetagainstyourown；althoughI
cannotspeakflowinglyuponmygooddeedsasyoucan。
ItookyourQueenbecauseyoustarvedher，havingstolenherlongbefore，andkilledhermotherandbrother。Thisisnotformetodwelluponnow；anymorethanIwouldsaymuchaboutyourmurderingofmyfather。Buthowthebalancehangsbetweenus，GodknowsbetterthanthouorI，thoulowmiscreant，CarverDoone。’
Ihadworkedmyselfup，asIalwaysdo，inthemannerofheavymen；growinghotlikeanill-washeredwheelrevolving，thoughIstartwithacoolaxle；andIfeltashamedofmyselfforheat，andreadytoaskpardon。
ButCarverDooneregardedmewithanobleandfearlessgrandeur。
’Ihavegiventheethychoice，JohnRidd，’hesaidinaloftymanner，whichmademedropawayunderhim；’I
alwayswishtodomybestwiththeworstpeoplewhocomenearme。AndofallIhaveevermetwiththouarttheveryworst，SirJohn，andthemostdishonest。’
Nowafterallmylabouringtopayeverymantoapenny，andtoallowthewomenover，whenamongthecouch-grasswhichisasadthingfortheirgowns，tobechargedlikethis，Isay，soamazedmethatIstood，withmylegsquiteopen，andreadyforanearthquake。Andthescornfulwayinwhichhesaid’SirJohn，’wenttomyveryheart，remindingmeofmylittleness。Butseeingnouseinbandyingwords，nay，ratherthechanceofmischief，Ididmybesttolookcalmlyathim，andtosaywithaquietvoice，’Farewell，CarverDoone，thistime，ourdayofreckoningisnigh。’
’Thoufool，itiscome，’hecried，leapingasideintothenicheofrockbythedoorway；’Fire!’
Saveforthequicknessofspring，andreadiness，learnedinmanyawrestlingbout，thatknavishtrickmusthaveendedme；butscarcewastheword’fire!’outofhismouthereIwasoutoffire，byasingleboundbehindtherockypillaroftheopening。InthisjumpI
wassobrisk，atimpulseoftheloveoflifeforIsawthemuzzlessetuponmefromthedarknessofthecavern，thatthemenwhohadtrainedtheirgunsuponmewithgoodwillanddaintiness，couldnotchecktheirfingerscrookedupontheheavytriggers；andthevolleysangwitharoarbehindit，downtheavenueofcrags。
Withonethingandanother，andmostofallthetreacheryofthisdastardscheme，IwassoamazedthatIturnedandran，attheverytopofmyspeed，awayfromthesevilefellows；andluckilyforme，theyhadnotanotherchargetosendafterme。Andthusbygoodfortune，Iescaped；butwithabitterheart，andmindattheirtreacheroususage。
Withoutanyfurtherhesitation；Iagreedtotakecommandofthehonestmenwhowereburningtopunish，ayanddestroy，thoseoutlaws，asnowbeyondallbearing。Onecondition，however，Imade，namely，thattheCounsellorshouldbesparedifpossible；notbecausehewaslessavillainthananyoftheothers，butthatheseemedlessviolent；andaboveall，hadbeengoodtoAnnie。AndIfoundhardworktomakethemlistentomywishuponthispoint；forofalltheDoones，SirCounsellorhadmadehimselfmosthated，byhisloveoflawandreason。
Wearrangedthatallourmenshouldcomeandfallintoorderwithpikeandmusket，overagainstourdung-hill，andwesettledearlyintheday，thattheirwivesmightcomeandlookatthem。Formostofthesemenhadgoodwives；quitedifferentfromsweethearts，suchasthemilitiahad；womenindeedwhocouldholdtoaman，andseetohim，andburyhim——ifhisluckwereevil——andperhapshavenooneafterwards。Andallthesewomenpressedtheirrightsupontheirprecioushusbands，andbroughtsomanychildrenwiththem，andmadesuchafuss，andhugging，andracingafterlittlelegs，thatourfarm-yardmightbetakenforanout-doorschoolforbabiesratherthanareviewground。
Imyselfwastoandfroamongthechildrencontinually；
forifIloveanythingintheworld，foremostIlovechildren。Theywarm，andyettheycoolourhearts，aswethinkofwhatwewere，andwhatinyoungclotheswehopedtobe；andhowmanythingshavecomeacross。Andtoseeourmotivesmovinginthelittlethingsthatknownotwhattheiraimorobjectis，mustalmostoroughtatleast，toleadushome，andsoftenus。Foreitherendoflifeishome；bothsourceandissuebeingGod。
Nevertheless，Imustconfessthatthechildrenwereaplaguesometimes。Theynevercouldhaveenoughofme——beingahundredtoone，youmightsay——butIhadmorethanenoughofthem；andyetwasnotcontented。
Fortheyhadsomanywaysoftalking，andoftuggingatmyhair，andofsittinguponmynecknoteventwowiththeirlegsalike，andtheyforcedmetojumpsovehemently，seemingtocourttheperilofmycomingdownneckandcropwiththem，andurgingmestilltogofaster，howeverfastImightgowiththem；Iassureyouthattheyweresometimessohardandtyrannicaloverme，thatImightalmostaswellhavebeenamongtheveryDoonesthemselves。
Nevertheless，thewayinwhichthechildrenmademeusefulprovedalsoofsomeusetome；fortheirmothersweresopleasedbytheexertionsofthe’greatGee-gee’——asallthesmallonesentitledme——thattheygavemeunlimitedpowerandauthorityovertheirhusbands；moreover，theydidtheirutmostamongtheirrelativesroundabout，tofetchrecruitsforourlittleband。Andbysuchmeans，severaloftheyeomanryfromBarnstaple，andfromTiverton，wereaddedtoournumber；andinasmuchasthesewerearmedwithheavyswords，andshortcarabines，theirappearancewastrulyformidable。