My name is John Ridd. My home is in Oare, a village in the
county of Somerset, in the south-west of England. My father was
a farmer, and we owned a large farm, which had been in our
family for hundreds of years. We were not rich, but we lived very
comfortably.
I was the only boy in our family, and my father wanted me to
go to a good school. He sent me to Tiverton School in Devon,
the county next to Somerset. It was the largest school in the west
of England.
My story begins on 29 November 1673, my twelfth
birthday. My friends and I came out of school at five o'clock and
saw a long line of horses coming down the road. The horses were
carrying gold, and the gold was guarded by soldiers because a
famous highwayman was in the area. I was very interested when I
heard this; the highwayman, whose name was Tom Faggus, was
my cousin.
We all ran to the gate to see the soldiers pass. Just then a man
on horseback came round the corner, leading another horse
behind him.
'Have any of you seen John Ridd?' he asked.
The man was John Fry, a servant at our home. I went forward
and spoke to him.
'John!' I cried. 'Why have you come now? School doesn't
finish for another two weeks.'
John Fry turned his eyes away from me.
'I know that,' he said. 'But your mother wants you at home—'
He stopped suddenly, and this frightened me.
'And Father - how's Father?' I asked. 'He always comes to
take me home from school.'
My name is John Ridd. My home is in Oare, a village in thecounty of Somerset, in the south-west of England. My father wasa farmer, and we owned a large farm, which had been in ourfamily for hundreds of years. We were not rich, but we lived verycomfortably.I was the only boy in our family, and my father wanted me togo to a good school. He sent me to Tiverton School in Devon,the county next to Somerset. It was the largest school in the westof England.My story begins on 29 November 1673, my twelfthbirthday. My friends and I came out of school at five o'clock andsaw a long line of horses coming down the road. The horses werecarrying gold, and the gold was guarded by soldiers because afamous highwayman was in the area. I was very interested when Iheard this; the highwayman, whose name was Tom Faggus, wasmy cousin.We all ran to the gate to see the soldiers pass. Just then a manon horseback came round the corner, leading another horsebehind him.'Have any of you seen John Ridd?' he asked.The man was John Fry, a servant at our home. I went forwardand spoke to him.'John!' I cried. 'Why have you come now? School doesn'tfinish for another two weeks.'John Fry turned his eyes away from me.'I know that,' he said. 'But your mother wants you at home—'He stopped suddenly, and this frightened me.'And Father - how's Father?' I asked. 'He always comes totake me home from school.'
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