Page:A Journal of the Plague Year (1722).djvu/158

 that Night very high, and they were but young at ſuch a way of Lodging, as well as at the managing their Tent.

Here they went to Sleep, but the Joyner, a grave and ſober Man, and not pleaſed with their lying at this looſe rate the firſt Night, could not ſleep, and reſolv’d, after trying to Sleep to no purpoſe, that he would get out, and taking the Gun in his Hand ſtand Centinel and Guard his Companions: So with the Gun in his Hand he walk’d to and again before the Barn, for that ſtood in the Field near the Road, but within the Hedge. He had not been long upon the Scout, but he heard a Noiſe of People coming on as if it had been a great Number, and they came on, as he thought, directly towards the Barn. He did not preſently awake his Companions, but in a few Minutes more their Noiſe growing louder and louder, the Biſcuit-Baker call’d to him and ask’d him what was the Matter, and quickly ſtarted out too: The other being the Lame Sail-maker and moſt weary, lay ſtill in the Tent.

As they expected, ſo the People who they had heard, came on directly to the Barn, when one of our Travellers challenged, like Soldiers upon the Guard, with Who comes there? The People did not Anſwer immediately, but one of them ſpeaking to another that was behind him, ''Alas! Alas! we are all diſappointed, ſays he, here are ſome People before us, the Barn is taken up.''

They all ſtopp’d upon that as under ſome Surprize, and it ſeems there was about Thirteen of them in all, and ſome Women among them: They conſulted together what they ſhould do, and by their Diſcourſe our Travellers ſoon found they were poor diſtreſs’d People too like themſelves, ſeeking Shelter and Safety; and beſides, our Travellers had no need to be afraid of their coming up to diſturb them; for as ſoon as they heard the Words, Who