CHAPTER XI

WITH BRIGANDS

apes man who had spoken to Charlie drew the long knife
from the back of the Jew, wiped it on the grass, and
handed it to him.

“That ought to be your property,’
done you good service.”

Not sorry to have a weapon in addition to his cudgel,
Charlie placed it in his belt and then started with the
bandits. He would not have cared to face the charcoal-
burner alone; but now that the band regarded him as
enrolled among their number, he felt no uneasiness respect-
ing him. When they issued from the trees the Jew was
seen standing at the door of the hut. He at once ran in
on seeing them, and came out again accompanied by the
charcoal-burner, who carried his axe on his shoulder. The
Jew started on catching sight of Charlie among the ranks of
the brigands, and said a word or two to his companion.

“Well, Master Charcoal-burner,” the leader of the party
said, “how is it that honest woodmen consort with rogues
of the town?”

“T don’t know that they do so willingly,” the man said
eruffly. “But some of us to our cost have put our heads
into nooses, and the rogues of the town have got hold of
the other end of the ropes, and we must just walk as we are
told to.”

,

he said. “It has

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