_ CHAPTER LXXI. SAM TYRELL AND THE GHOST
As soon as we saw the result of the shepherd's ruse, we crossed the bridge and joined him.
"Didn't I do that in good style?" he asked. "Did you ever hear of a ghost that was more successful than me?"
I complimented him by replying in the negative, and also assuring him that I considered he was at the height of his profession.
"You may well call it a trade," he exclaimed, removing his heavy headdress and wiping his moist brow, "for there ain't a man in the country who knows how to do such things in shape unless he has been in the funeral line, like me. Did you see 'em run?"
I assured him that the retreat of the bushrangers was so sudden that we could not help noticing the fact.
"I didn't believe that coveys could cut so; and they threw away their guns, too, that shows how skeert they was," continued Day, apparently so overjoyed at his success that he could talk of nothing else.
"But it will not do for us to stand here and talk when the bushrangers are liable to come back at any moment and surprise you holding communication with beings of this earth," I said. "Let us get under the shadow of the trees, where we can talk without danger."
My suggestion was agreed to, and in a few seconds we were on our old camping ground and debating what we should do next. I was in favor of an immediate retreat to the banks of the Loddon, which river I proposed to cross, and find refuge at Hawswood station, where we could remain for a few days, and then return for another examination of the earth for the treasure. Mr. Brown, whether fearful to trust to Day's honesty, or the bushrangers' superstitious feelings, did not coincide with me, and was for remaining until daylight at any rate, and during that time make further search for the gold, and if not found in that period, he proposed giving up the expedition altogether and returning to Ballarat.
The shepherd heard us discuss the merits of our several propositions without interruption, and while we were still uncertain what to do,--avarice bidding us to stay, and caution and prudence to fly,--he spoke,--"I have no wish to advise you coveys in any course that ain't right, but if you will listen to me I'll get you out of this affair in safety, and with the money that is buried."
"How?" I asked.
"By still playing the ghost," he replied, with a grin.
"You have done so, and successfully," I said; "can't you think of some other dodge?"
"Don't want any other," he returned, patting the bullock's head in an affectionate manner. "Men can always be moved by their fears and guilty consciences."
We agreed with him in that respect, but didn't see how he could serve us further by assuming the ghost line.
"Then I'll tell you," the shepherd said. "One half of the coveys who saw me by this time think that they have been frightened by a shadow, a white bullock, or a horse. They won't acknowledge that they saw a ghost, while the other portion will contend stoutly that I had fire issuing from my mouth, and that I was the devil or his imp. With this question unsettled I shouldn't be surprised if they made these parts another visit to solve their doubts, for the bushrangers who haven't seen me will only deride those who have, and disbelieve all the statements made."
We acknowledged that there was some truth in the remark, and Day, highly delighted with the admission, continued:
"Now I think that the best way would be for me to show myself once more and give the coveys another and a greater fright. I can steal up to their camping ground, and while they are quarrelling, walk into their midst without waiting for the formalities of an introduction."
"But you may lose your life in making the experiment," I said.
"There's no fear of that--who ever heard of a man firing with a steady hand while in the presence of a ghost?"
I reminded him that I had tried the experiment, and that if the ball had struck a few inches lower down he would never have played the ghost a second time.
"That just proves what I said. Can't you hit a man at two rods' distance, and place the ball just where you like?"
I flattered myself that I was a good pistol shot, and could do so under ordinary circumstances.
"Yet your hand must have shook, or I should have been hit."
There was no denying the truth of that assertion, for I remembered the circumstance perfectly well.
"If I don't frighten them coveys so that they will avoid this place hereafter, then I don't know much about ghosts, and how they act," Day continued.
We tried to urge the fellow to be content with the triumph which he had already accomplished, but he was mad for another exhibition of his powers, and all that we could say had no effect. Go he would, and at length we determined to accompany him for the purpose of rendering assistance in case he wanted it, or to see how the bushrangers would bear themselves upon a second exhibition.
The shepherd was so well acquainted with the country that he guided us by a short route towards the camping ground, stealing along between the bushes and trees so quietly and rapidly that, with all my knowledge of woodcraft, I had difficulty in following him and keeping close to his heels. At length we saw the reflection of a camp fire, and then we grew more cautious in our movements, frequently stopping for a few minutes to listen if we could hear other sounds besides our footsteps. But we encountered no one, for the bushrangers had apparently fallen back upon the main body, convinced that the coast was clear of all earthly intruders. The shepherd stopped when he thought that we were within sound of the camp, and beckoned us to his side.
"There's no use in you coveys getting your necks in halters follering close arter me, 'cos 'tain't any use. We ain't going to fight the fellers, but to frighten 'em. You jist keep a little back and watch me, and if any thing happens, why, don't stop to see how it terminates. Get off the best way that you can."
"That would be ungenerous," I replied. "You are now risking your life to serve us, and we should not desert you to save ourselves."
"Don't you be afeard of me," the shepherd said, quite coolly. "I can take care of myself, and if the bushrangers finds out the cheat I can explain it to 'em some way or other that will satisfy 'em. Is it all right?"
We assured him that we would be governed by his wishes, and with this declaration he led the way towards the camp, first taking the precaution of putting on his head gear, in case he should meet with stragglers. We followed in his footsteps at some distance until we reached the edge of the woods, when the ghost motioned for us to take up a position in a clump of bushes, while he skulked behind a tree.
We stole carefully forward and saw that we were within five rods of the bushrangers, who were seated around half a dozen fires, cooking their mutton on long sticks, and endeavoring to obtain a cessation of hostilities from the attacks of mosquitoes by beating the air wildly with their huge black fists when not engaged in cutting meat, or throwing on light brush to feed the fires. The men all seemed excited, and we listened to their conversation with some pleasure, showing, as it did, how mistaken they were in their estimate of the true appearance of the ghost.
"For ten years I've knocked about these woods, and done some very pretty tricks, but I never met with such a looking devil as I've seen to-night," I heard an old grizzly fellow (an exact representative of a pirate) say, as he ripped off about a pound of flesh from the carcass of a lamb, thrust it upon a stick and held it over the coals, after which he looked around upon his brother devils with an air that showed how much he should like to kill every one present merely for the fun of the thing.
"I would have stopped and spoken to the darn thing if any one had kept me company," a young fellow said, apparently desirous of raising himself in the estimation of his companions; but, if such was his intention, it was a failure, for the old pirate turned on him like a hungry wolf with snapping jaws.
"You stop and bandy words with a spirit?" asked the old fellow, with a sneer. "Why, d----n it, you was the first one to run."
"Not as you knows of," replied the young robber, shaking his head as though he was willing to test the matter.
"Do you tell me I lie, you impudent son of a Dutch woman?" asked old grizzly, lifting his stick from the fire and striking the youngster full upon his face with the hot meat, which caused him to start from the ground as though about to inflict vengeance upon the old pirate for the insult.
The elder bushranger did not seem in the least disturbed. He shook the mutton clear of his stick as though it had been contaminated by contact with his companion's flesh, and then drew his long, sharp knife, and began to cut off another portion from the carcass by his side.
For a few seconds the insulted youngster seemed uncertain what to do. Then I saw his right hand seek for his knife, draw it, and with a wild cry he threw himself upon the old man. The other bushrangers merely glanced towards the parties, but did not offer to interfere. There was but a slight struggle, for the attack was so sudden that the grizzly fellow did not take the precaution of defending himself, trusting, probably, to his age and influence with the gang to exempt him from a personal combat.
I heard a low groan, and then the attacking party arose and returned to his former place, while the head of the old robber fell forward and touched the fire, and there it remained for a few minutes, until the stench of burning hair became so great that some one shouted out to remove the body, and not let it lay there and spoil their appetites.
One man, more humane than the rest, lifted the dead pirate up and carried him a short distance, and then laid him carefully under a tree. The whole transaction, including the death, did not take ten minutes, and a number of the gang did not even stop from picking bones during its occurrence.
"You settled him, Billy?" cried a fellow at a distant camp fire, slightly raising his voice.
"I should think that I did," answered the young ruffian, wiping his knife on his shirt sleeve, and then finishing his supper, with an evident attempt to appear unconcerned, although I could see that he was all of a tremble, and that he glared around the clear space as though he feared to encounter a disagreeable sight every moment.
"Let this be a lesson to all of us," cried a deep, bass voice, which I heard for the first time. "How often have I told you that I desired harmony in the gang, and that if a man gave the lie he was responsible for it with his life. Why can't you live like gentlemen, and not like a set of d----d blackguards. Because you are robbers and cutthroats is no reason why you should murder each other. The world is large enough and contains enough of our enemies without looking for them in the gang."
There was not a word of response to these remarks, but I noticed that many of the gang hung their heads as though they did not wish to meet the eyes of the speaker, who seemed to be a person in authority.
"That must be Sam Tyrell, who is called the gentlemanly bushranger of Australia," whispered Mr. Brown, who was anxious to get sight of a man who had performed some very daring exploits, and some excessive acts of cruelty, while commanding a gang of ruffians on the road between Ballarat and Melbourne.
"Hush," I whispered, "or you will betray your hiding-place;" for Mr. Brown, in his eagerness, moved the bushes in a manner that attracted attention.
I had heard of Sam, through his many exploits, and was anxious to get sight of him, so that in case we ever met I should recognize his face.
It is related of him, by the old settlers of Australia, that he once returned to Melbourne, dressed himself in black with scrupulous neatness, and then boldly presented himself at the door of the lieutenant-governor's palace, passed in by means of a ticket which he had taken from a man whom he met on the highway, danced with the first ladies of the city, was introduced to the governor's wife, and would have danced with her had etiquette permitted it. In fact, Tyrell created considerable of a sensation, and ate his host's ices, and drank his wine, with a degree of nonchalance that charmed the ladies and disgusted the gentlemen.
Had Sam conducted himself with a certain degree of circumspection no suspicions would have been excited by his conduct; but the devil prompted him to make love to a pretty woman who was present in company with her husband, the latter an old man, ugly as sin, and jealous as Othello.
Sam saw the lady admired his vigorous-looking form, and he addressed her a few remarks of flattery, without waiting for the formalities of an introduction. Her husband fired up at the sight, and growled forth his displeasure in no measured terms.
Sam paid no more attention to his looks and hard words than if he had been a child. The contempt, so quietly conveyed, only enraged the old gentleman the more, and the matter began to be talked about. First one and then another inquired who the good-looking gentleman dressed in black was, but no one could answer the question. The governor was appealed to, but he was as ignorant as his guests. At length an aide-de-camp was intrusted with the delicate duty of requesting the stranger to disclose his address.
The officer touched Tyrell on the shoulder, while he was standing by the fascinating little Mrs. P----, and desired a word with him in private. Sam bowed low to the object of his affections, and followed the officer to an ante-chamber. The guests, who were hovering around the door, waited impatiently for the officer to make his reappearance and report.
Ten minutes passed away, and still the officer was invisible. Half an hour glided by, and then the crowd ventured to knock, but there was no answer. The door was tried, and found to be locked.
His excellency was consulted, and he sent for an armorer of the regiment stationed in Melbourne, a man very skilful in picking and repairing locks. The soldier exerted his skill, but in vain; the door refused to open, and then, grown desperate, the governor ordered an axe brought, and a few vigorous blows drove the door from its hinges, and a crowd rushed in.
There was no light in the apartment, and Mr. P----, the jealous husband, was so eager that he stumbled over some object lying on the floor, and pitched headlong against the wall, bruising his bald head, and causing him to curse, with all an Englishman's spleen, at his mishap, while he did not forget to allude to his wife in his prayers as the cause of his misfortune.
A light was brought as speedily as possible, and, to the consternation of those present, the aide-de-camp was found extended upon the floor, his arms tied behind his back, his mouth gagged with a pocket handkerchief, and on his breast was pinned a piece of paper addressed to the governor.
It was but the work of a moment to relieve the officer from his unpleasant position, and the instant he could speak he rushed for the window, which was observed to be open, and hailed the sentry, who was pacing back and forth a short distance beneath.
The guard answered promptly, but declared that no one had passed him that evening, and that if a man had attempted to escape by the window he should have seen him.
By this time his excellency had read the note, and was raving for the captain of the police force, and vowing that it was dangerous to live in his own palace, the bushrangers had become so audacious.
The word bushranger struck terror into the hearts of all present, and even the jealous husband modulated his wrath, and rubbed his head with some degree of contentment.
There was considerable curiosity to learn the contents of the note, but etiquette required that the governor should not be asked regarding it, although every gentleman present was bursting to know, and all the ladies were unanimously of the opinion that the adventure was romantic, and actually looked upon Mrs. P----, who was half frightened to death, with some degree of envy, because she was a prominent actor in the scene.
At length his excellency condescended to enlighted his audience, and read the paper which he held in his hand, although he boiled with rage as he did so. The note was as follows:--
"MOST WORTHY GOVERNOR.--For the very kind manner in which you have entertained me this evening, please accept my thanks. I have drank your wine, eaten your ices, and enjoyed your refreshments as well as any gentleman present, and had I remained long enough I would have added to my exploits by kissing your lady friends, including your wife. As I did not, please perform the ceremony for me. The next time that I visit you I hope you will have a quantity of ice to cool the wine, as I am accustomed to such luxuries, and champagne tastes insipid without it. I think that your excellency should change your wine merchant, for some of the liquor that I tasted to-night never saw France, and I hope never will, for that polite nation would feel eternally disgraced at the thought of concocting such beverages. Hoping that I shall, at no distant day, meet your excellency in the bush, where I can return a few of the civilities which I have received this evening, and, I trust, relieve you of a portion of your worldly cares, in the shape of wealth, allow me to humbly subscribe myself, your friend and well-wisher,
"SAM TYRELL, _Bushranger_."
"The impudent scoundrel!" was the general exclamation, and I think that the reader will agree with the guests, and pronounce the bushranger a bold man, and one of considerable address and nerve.
Of course, the mounted police were set in motion, and the country scoured for miles in extent, but no signs of Sam were discovered; and the mortification of my friend Murden may be better imagined than described when he was afterwards informed that Sam did not even take the trouble of leaving the city that night, but changed his clothes, and passed a large portion of his time with a lady who was somewhat noted for liberality towards the male sex; and when he was tired of a metropolitan residence, he dressed himself in female attire, and with a veil to conceal his face, passed soldiers and police, and rejoined his gang, who were fifty miles from Melbourne.
The story of the aide-de-camp was a curious one. He said that the stranger requested time to pencil a note to a distinguished gentleman in town, who was to vouch for his respectability; that after he had finished writing and directing it, Sam approached him, as though to request permission to send it by a bearer, but before he was aware of his intentions Tyrell had garroted him in such a manner that all resistance was impossible, and when about half dead, he was laid upon the floor, bound with cords, and then had a handkerchief stuffed in his mouth, threats being made at the same time that death was certain if the least alarm was given.
The bushranger then waited until the guard turned his back, when he dropped from the window like a cat, and made his escape. The officer was laughed at so outrageously, that he sold his commission and left the army.
Such was one of the exploits of the "gentlemanly" bushranger whose actions we were watching, and over whose head a reward of five hundred pounds was hanging.
"If you must call each other liars, and rush to a fight, why don't you do so in a gentlemanly manner, at ten paces distant, and not shoot or cut each other down like dogs? Can I never learn you manners, and be d----d to you."
The speaker, of whom Mr. Brown had whispered, was Tyrell--he walked towards the young fellow, who had, but a moment before, killed the old pirate, and stopped in front of him. From our place of concealment we could admire the athletic form of the leader of the gang, and as the flames from the camp-fire blazed up and showed us his features, we could not help being struck with their stern beauty.
"Well, captin, he began it," cried the young assassin, in a snivelling, apologetic sort of tone; "I didn't want to hurt him, sure, if he hadn't told me I lied. I don't take that from nobody, you knows."
"You lie, you dog, you know you do," cried 'gentleman Sam,' in a tone expressive of profound contempt. "You stabbed old Bill when his back was turned, and did not give him a fair chance. I'll have no more such doings. A stop must be put to such kind of work. Do you all understand me?"
"I'm willing to abide by the regulations," the murderer said, with alacrity.
"I intend that you shall, for I am about to constitute myself a judge and jury, and punish you for shedding blood, as I think it should be punished. Stand up."
The fellow staggered to his feet, and we could see him glance with apprehension upon his leader, and then turn towards his comrades an appealing look, as though desirous of their support during his trying ordeal.
"You killed old Bill without a moment's warning for telling the truth, for I have been told by others that you was one of the first to run, and yet you saw nothing but a shadow, at which you was frightened. You deserve death, and at my hands you shall receive it."
"For God's sake don't kill me, cap'en!" shrieked the young fellow, in an agony of terror, throwing himself upon his knees, and begging for mercy; "I have served you long and faithfully, and robbed as many miners as any man in the gang."
"That certainly should entitle him to mercy," whispered Mr. Brown, giving me a nudge with his elbow, as though I was asleep.
The leader of the bushrangers did not make any reply, but coolly drew a pistol from his belt.
"The cold-blooded scoundrel intends to murder the man!" Mr. Brown said, trembling with excitement and indignation; "why don't the brutes interfere, and save the life of their comrade?"
"Take notice, men," said the robber chief, addressing his gang, "that I am about to punish a man for committing a murder, and that hereafter, if you must quarrel, refer the matter to me for settlement, and if I do not satisfy you with my decision, then you can appeal to the knife or pistol, as can be agreed upon. Have you any reason why sentence should not be executed upon this man?"
There was no response. The villains would not even raise their voices to save a comrade's life.
"I should imagine the fellow was the Lord High Chancellor of England to hear him talk," muttered Mr. Brown; "lend me your revolver, and the instant the ruffian fires I will give him a shot if it costs me my life."
"And it would cost not only your life, but mine, and that I am not disposed to relinquish yet. Be patient, for we can do nothing to save the poor devil," I replied.
The man whose doom had been pronounced, a second time threw himself upon the ground, and crawled to the feet of the leader in humble supplication for mercy. He shed tears, and vowed that if his life was spared, he would steal with renewed energy, and be more faithful than ever; and for a while I thought the chief would relent, but during a moment's pause, I distinctly heard the click of a pistol lock, and saw Tyrell's arm raised as though taking aim.
'I shut my eyes to hide the dreadful sight, and expected to hear the report of the weapon and the groans of the victim, but while I was speculating on the length of time that the poor devil was kept in suspense, I received a tremendous nudge from Mr. Brown's elbow, accompanied by the exclamation of--
"The devil has come at last!"
I opened my eyes, and was gratified to see that the ghost whose disappearance I had noticed, re-appeared upon the scene, but with one important change in his aspect, which rendered his _tout ensemble_ more hideous than ever.
By some means he had managed to light a fire upon his bony head, and the flames were twisting and squirming like so many fiery serpents, revealing the long bullock's horns with telling effect. So well had he managed the affair, that, accustomed as I was to his presence, I had half a mind to run, not knowing but a real devil, or being of the other world, had usurped Day's especial functions in the ghost line.
If the sudden appearance was startling to myself and Mr. Brown, how much more must it have astonished the bushrangers, who were anxiously awaiting the death of their companion at the hands of Tyrell. I saw the arm of the latter fall as if paralyzed, and he started back, but disdained to fly upon the first alarm. Not so with his comrades. With one accord they dropped knives, meat, and blankets, and with shouts of frantic terror rushed towards the woods, tumbling over each other in their eagerness to escape, and looking over their shoulders as they fled, as if they feared that Satan had already laid a hand upon them, and was about to claim them as his own.
Even the young fellow who had murdered the old pirate, seemed to entertain some hope of escape from earthly enemies, for he commenced crawling away from the fires as fast as he could on hands and knees, and bent his course directly towards our ambush. Once or twice I saw him look back, apparently with the expectation of receiving a shot in his rear, but finding that his captain was too much occupied with his own matters, he seemed to think that Providence had interfered in a most wonderful manner in his behalf, and recommenced crawling with renewed energy and hope, not caring half as much for the ghost as he did for the vengeance of his chief.
"Here comes this fellow directly on to us," whispered Mr. Brown; "what can we do to start him in another direction?"
"Groan him away," I replied, recollecting the efficacy of diabolical sounds in my own case; and forthwith we uttered in chorus the most hideous noises possible for human beings to produce. So frightful were they that even Tyrell, who had made his boast of being able to endure all things, gradually retreated as he saw the ghost advance towards him with the flaming headdress, and at length, after giving one quick glance around, and finding that he was deserted by his crew, fairly turned, and bounded into the brush and disappeared from sight.
We listened attentively, and could hear the bushrangers making their way through the woods in hot haste; but fearing the shrewdness of Sam, we kept perfectly quiet, until we were certain that gentleman had really left his quarters, and was not lurking in the vicinity to see what sort of a ghost had frightened him.
"A splendid performance," I said, as Mr. Brown and myself stepped from our ambush, and congratulated the shepherd, who, much as he liked to be praised, didn't think it worth while to listen in so conspicuous a place.
"Follow me as fast as possible," he exclaimed, removing his still smoking headdress, and exhibiting a face blackened and singed by the flames. "We ain't safe here even for a minute, for the devils will come back after their traps, and if they should get hold of us we would be real ghosts in less than an hour."
I had the same impression, and therefore followed our guide through the woods in a directly opposite course from that which the bushrangers took, and in a few minutes we had the satisfaction of gaining our island and finding our horses as we had left them.
"Now that we are beyond the reach of the robbers, tell me how you prepared your fiery headdress?" Mr. Brown asked, turning to the shepherd, who was rubbing his burnt face and singed hair and whiskers.
"The fact is," replied Day, "the flames are a new sort of 'speriment, and I've hardly got use to 'em. I think that I should do better next time. I have every reason to think so, and if I don't, I shall be forced to give up that portion of the show, although I should think that it was very effective, if I may judge from the remarkable antics of the coveys. That black-whiskered scoundrel wanted to have a shot at me, and I guess that he would hadn't it been for the fire. The flames are a great improvement, 'cos they make me look jist as though I had arrived from kingdom come."
"But how was the effect produced?" demanded Mr. Brown.
"Well, I don't know as I had ought to tell you coveys, 'cos you might claim the 'vention as your own," replied the shepherd, coquettishly; but finding that we were ready to vouch for our disintertestedness, he continued: "You see when I was overhauling your traps last night--"
Here Mr. Brown groaned, as he thought of the liquor which had been carried off, and how acceptable it would be at the present time.
"I found a lot of matches, so I took half that you had," continued Day, "which I consider an honest transaction, 'cos I know coveys who would have carried all off and not thanked ye. I've got some honor, if I am a shepherd."
"Especially when you drank all my brandy," Mr. Brown remarked.
Day scorned to notice the insinuation, but continued:
"I thought how convenient them 'ere matches would be, and I didn't scruple to take 'em, 'cos I knew that if we were acquainted you would divide, and be glad to accommodate me."
We didn't tell Day the maledictions we had showered upon his head, or how we should have treated him had we caught him with our puck. We thought that as he had been of service to us we would withhold our expressions of dissatisfaction. Day continued:
"I had the matches in my pocket when I seed that black devil get ready to kill his man, and a thought struck me that if the bushranger was 'gentleman Sam,' I'd better look out how I played pranks with him, 'cos he's as bold as a lion, and nearly about as strong. I thought that if I was to frighten him I'd got to put on the extras, and I jist collected a few dried twigs, lashed them on the head with dried kangaroo sinews, tougher than an undertaker's heart, and when I found that it was about time for the coffin, I jist lighted the wood works with a match, and there I was all shining bright like an angel."
"If you resemble an angel, I don't wonder at the few visits they pay the earth," grumbled Mr. Brown, who, now that the danger was nearly past, was disposed to quiz the man who had been so serviceable to us.
"Well, I 'spose there is some difference 'twixt us," returned Day, "for if all angels got burned as bad as I have been they would leave out the fire when they went visiting."
"Well, well," replied my companion, consolingly, "you have been an angel to us, Day, and if I had only a portion of the good liquor which you carried off last night I would drink your health and bathe your wounds."
"Would you, though?" demanded Day, with animation.
Mr. Brown reiterated his statement, although in a languid manner, for he did not exactly approve of the midnight depredation which our friend had been guilty of.
"Well, to tell the truth," continued Day, "I didn't drink all that I found, 'cos I thought it would be cruel, so I jist changed it into a bladder that I carried water in, and I have got it stowed away here somewhere."
Never did a confession sound more welcome, and we watched out friend eagerly until he returned from the place where the liquor was hid, and we found about a pint of the raw material saved from his rapacious stomach.
"Here is health and long life to all undertakers' apprentices," Mr. Brown said, pressing the bladder to his mouth in the most affectionate manner.
The words were hardly uttered when we heard the shrill calls of the bushrangers, as they rallied after their flight, and were returning to their encampment to recover what articles they had left behind them. Surprised to think that they should have ventured upon haunted ground the second time, I glanced towards the woods, and found, to my surprise, that daylight had stolen upon us almost unperceived, and that the bushrangers had gained fresh courage from the fact, and were still in a condition to annoy us. _