"
"Hast furnished my breakfast?" inquired this stalwart knight from the
enchanted wood. "I think your garrison be short of victual, or my"----
"Hold thy tongue, thou piece of ill-contrived impertinence," said the
gaoler. "We have victual and drink too; but for such as thou art, it
were an ill-bestowed morsel. I marvel what can have possessed my lady to
keep thee alive!"
The gaoler drew out from his provision bag a small dark-coloured loaf,
which he threw at the hungry captive, who, to say the truth, had been
half-starved since his imprisonment.
Gideon was devouring it greedily without any further notice, when he
suddenly cried out to his keeper--
"Where gat ye this coarse stuff? I would not say good-morrow to my dog
with so crusty a meal."
"It was tossed over the wall," replied the gaoler. "Our friends oft
supply us that way with provision, captain. I picked it up as I came,
and thought it was too good for thy dainty appetite."
"Captain Moseley," said the hungry drummer, with great earnestness,
"take this. Break it before thy brethren, and show them how vilely these
Egyptian task-masters do entreat us in the house of bondage.
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