e not in the King's Order."

"'Kindness--loving-kindness," says Sir John. "Questionless, in his
zeal for the King and his love for you, John adds those two cannon as a
gift. 'Tis plain as this coming daylight, ye stockfish!"

"'So it is," says Sebastian. "Oh, Sir John, Sir John, why did you
never use the sea? You are lost ashore." And he looked on him with
great love.

"'I do my best in my station." Sir John strokes his beard again and
rolls forth his deep drumming Justice's voice thus: "But--suffer
me!---you two lads, on some midnight frolic into which I probe not,
roystering around the taverns, surprise Master Collins at his"--he
thinks a moment--"at his good deeds done by stealth. Ye surprise him,
I say, cruelly."

"'Truth, Sir John. If you had seen him run!" says Sebastian.

"'On this you ride breakneck to me with a tale of pirates, and
wool-wains, and cow-hides, which, though it hath moved my mirth as a
man, offendeth my reason as a magistrate. So I will e'en accompany you
back to the tower with, perhaps, some few of my own people, and
three-four wagons, and I'll be your warrant that Master John Collins
will freely give you your guns and your demi-cannon, Master Sebastian."
He breaks into his proper voice--"I warned the old tod and his
neighbours long ago that they'd come to trouble with their
side-sellings and bye-dealings; but we cannot have half Sussex hanged
for a little gun-running. Are ye content, lads?"

"'I'd commit any treason for two demi-cannon,' said Sebastian, and rubs
his hands.

"Ye have just compounded with rank treason-felony for the same bribe,"
says Sir John. "Wherefore to horse, and get the guns."'

'But Master Collins meant the guns for Sir Andrew Barton all along,
didn't he?' said Dan.

'Questionless, that he did,' said Hal. 'But he lost them. We poured
into the village on the red edge of dawn, Sir John horsed, in
half-armour, his pennon flying; behind him thirty stout Brightling
knaves, five abreast; behind them four wool-wains, and behind them four
trumpets to triumph over the jest, blowing: Our King went forth to
Normandie. When we halted and rolled the ringing guns out of the
tower, 'twas for all the world like Friar Roger's picture of the French
siege in the Queen's Missal-book.'

'And what did we--I mean, what did our village do?' said Dan.

'Oh! Bore it nobly--nobly,' cried Hal. 'Though they had tricked me, I
was proud of them. They came out of their housen