gon six months
since, on that sad journey to school, and that had been so kind to me in
the way of new milk and cheesecakes.

She was very smartly dressed, with a gay flowered apron, and a flycap
all over glass-beads, like so many Blue-bottles. And she had a gold
brooch in her stomacher, and fine thread hose, and red Heels to her
shoes.

She was as kind to me as ever, and told me that I was among those who
would treat me well, and stand my friends, if I obeyed their commands.
And I, who, I confess, had by this time begun to look on the Blacks and
their Ways with a kind of Schoolboy glee, rose, nothing loth, and donned
the Strange Accoutrements my entertainers provided for me. The girl
helped me to dress, smiling and giggling mightily the while; but, as I
dressed, I could not help calling her by the name she had given me in
the Wagon, and asking how she had come into that strange Place.

"Hush, hush!" says she. "I'm Marian now, Maid Marian, that lives with
Mother Drum, and serves the Gentlemen Blacks, and brings Captain Night
his morning Draught. None of us are called by our real names at the Stag
o' Tyne, my dear. We all are in No-man's-land."

"But where is No-man's-land, and what is the Stag o' Tyne?" I asked, as
she slipped the Gaberdine over my head.

"No-man's-land is just in the left-hand top Corner of Charlwood Chase,
after you have turned to the left, and gone as far forward as you can by
taking two steps backward for every one straight on," answers the saucy
hussy. "And the Stag o' Tyne's even a Christian House of Entertainment
that Mother Drum keeps."

"And who is Mother Drum?" I resumed, my eyes opening wider than ever.

"A decent Alewife, much given to grease, and that cooks the King's
Venison for Captain Night and his Gentlemen Blacks."

"And Captain Night,--who is he?"

"Ask me no questions, and I'll tell you no lies," she makes reply.
"Captain Night is a Gentleman every inch of him, and as sure as Tom o'
Ten Thousand."

"And the Gentlemen Blacks?"

"Your mighty particular," quoth she, regarding me with a comical look.
"Well, my dear, since you are to be a Black yourself, and a Gentleman to
boot, I don't mind telling you. The Gentlemen Blacks are all Bold
Hearts, that like to kill the King's Venison without a Ranger's Warrant,
and to eat of it without paying Fee nor Royalty, and that drink of the
very best--"

"And that have Dog-whips to lay about the shoulders of tattling minxes
and curiou