So they went on through the long passages and empty rooms. Capitola carefully locking every door behind her until she got down-stairs into the great hall.
"Now, Miss Caterpillar, ef you wants quint tart, an' pear sass, and baked cussets, an' all dem, you'll jest has to go an' wake Ole Mis' up, case dey's in her cubbed an' she's got the keys," said Pitapat.
"Never mind, Patty, you follow me," said Capitola, going to the front hall door and beginning to unlock it and take down the bars and withdraw the bolts.
"Lors, miss, what is yer a-doin' of?" asked the little maid, in wonder, as Capitola opened the door and looked out.
"I am going out a little way and you must go with me!"
"Deed, miss, I'se 'fraid!"
"Very well, then, stay here in the dark until I come back, but don't go to my room, because you might meet a ghost on the way!"
"Oh, Miss, I daren't stay here--indeed I daren't!"
"Then you'll have to come along with me, and so no more about it," said Capitola, sharply, as she passed out from the door. The poor little maid followed, bemoaning the fate that bound her to so capricious a mistress.
Capitola drew the key from the hall door and locked it on the outside. Then clasping her hands and raising her eyes to heaven, she fervently ejaculated: "Thank God--oh, thank God that we are safe!"
"Lors, miss, was we in danger?"
"We are not now at any rate, Pitapat! Come along!" said Capitola, hurrying across the lawn toward the open fields.
"Oh, my goodness, miss, where is yer-a-goin' of? Don't less us run so fur from home dis lonesome, wicked, onlawful hour o' de night!" whimpered the distressed little darkey, fearing that her mistress was certainly crazed.
"Now, then, what are you afraid of?" asked Capitola, seeing her hold back.
"Lors, miss, you knows--eberybody knows--Brack Dunnel!"
"Patty, come close--listen to me--don't scream--Black Donald and his men are up there at the house--in my chamber, under the bed," whispered Capitola.
Pitapat could not scream, for though her mouth was wide open, her breath was quite gone. Shivering with fear, she kept close to her mistress's heels as Capitola scampered over the fields.
A run of a quarter of a mile brought them to the edge of the woods, where in its little garden stood the overseer's house.
Capitola opened the gate, hurried through the little front yard and rapped loudly at the door.