ead, which heightened the savage appearance of his look.

"There is no military discipline at play," General Peter, "answered the
other. You may order us captains to blockade a town, and raise
contributions, but at play one man is as good as another."

"You are mutinous, a rebel against the authorities! Thunder and
lightning! were it not against my honour, I would cut you into a
hundred pieces;--but play on."

"There's an ace," said one. "Here's a quart," said another. "I cut with
the ten," exclaimed a third. "And here's the knave,--who can take him?"
said the fourth player.

"I can," cried the large man; "there's the king,--Morbleu! the trick is
mine."

"Where did you get the king?" said a little thin man, with a cunning
face, small searching eyes, and shrill voice, "didn't I see it at the
bottom of the pack when you dealt. He has cheated! Long Peter has
cheated, by all the saints!"

"Muckerle, captain of the eighth company! I advise you to hold your
tongue," said the general; "_Bassa manelka!_ I don't take a joke,--the
mouse should not play with the lion."

"And I say it again,--where did you get the king? I'll prove you false
before the pope and the king of France, thou foul player."

"Muckerle," replied the general, drawing his sword deliberately out of
its scabbard, "pray another Ave Maria and a Gratias, for as soon as the
game is over you are a dead man."

The other three men were roused from a state of indifference at these
angry words. They sided with the little captain, and gave the general
to understand clearly that they thought he was capable of the imputed
meanness. He, however, looked big, and full of importance, and swore he
had not cheated. "If the holy Peter, my gracious patron, who I carry on
my hat, could speak, he would bear me witness, as true as I am a
Christian lansquenet, that I have not played false!"

"He played fair," said a strange voice, which appeared to issue from
the tree. The men crossed themselves to defend them from an evil
spirit, the gallant general even turned pale, and let drop his cards;
when a peasant stept forward from behind the tree, armed with a dagger,
and having a guitar slung over his shoulder with a leathern strap. He
beheld the group with an undaunted eye, and said, "That gentleman did
not cheat; I saw all the cards that were dealt to him."

"Ah! you are a fine fellow," said the general, much pleased; "as I am
an honest lansquenet, what you say is all right."