armer. Hi, missus, hear him! Young gent here thinks I'm a
smuggler. That is a good un, and no mistake."

Archy was taken aback for the moment, but he caught the eye of the
master, who was too old over the business to be easily hoodwinked.

"The young gentleman's made quite a mistake," said Mrs Shackle
demurely. "P'r'aps he'd like a mug of our mead before he goes, and his
men a drop of home-brewed."

"Ay, to be sure," cried Shackle. "Put out the bread and cheese, missus,
and I'll go and draw a drink or two. You'll take something too, won't
you, master?"

"Yes; don't mind," said Gurr, "but I'd rather take a tot o' right Nantes
or Hollands."

"Ay, so would I," said Shackle, with a laugh, as his wife began to
bustle about and get knives and plates; "but you've come to the wrong
place, master. I have heared o' people getting a drop from 'em, after
they've used their horses and carts, but that's never been my luck; has
it, missus?"

"No, never," said Mrs Shackle; and to herself,--"That's quite true."

"You are very hospitable," said Archy shortly; "but I've got my duty to
do, sir. It's an unpleasant one, that we must search your place for
contraband goods."

"Sarch? Oh, I give you my word, squire, there's nothing here."

"We must see about that."

"Well, this here arn't werry pleasant, Mr Orficer, seeing as I'm a
reg'lar loyal servant of the king. But theer, I don't mind if my missus
don't object. You won't mind, old gal, so long as they don't rip open
the beds and chuck the furniture all over the place?"

"I should like to see any of them doing it, that's all," cried Mrs
Shackle, ruffling up like a great Dorking hen who saw a hawk.

"Nothing about the place shall be injured, madam," said Archy politely;
"but we must search."

"Oh, very well then," said Mrs Shackle; "but I must say it's very
rude."

"Pray, forgive us," said Archy, raising his hat; "we are His Majesty's
servants, and we do it in the king's name."

Mrs Shackle responded with her best curtsey, and a smile came back in
her face as the farmer said,--

"It's all right, missus; they're obliged to do it. Where will you begin
first--what are you sarching for?"

"Brandy," said Archy.

"Oh, then, down in the cellar's the place," said Shackle, laughing, and
taking three mugs from where his wife had placed them. "If it had been
for silks and laces, I should have said go upstairs."

He led the way to a door at the top of some stone ste