rowd of men and women, all running and shouting.

Before them fled the stroller and his three sons, capless and terrified.
The old man's triangle had been torn from him and was being jangled now
by Nottingham fingers.

"There is trouble before us. Come, Robin," said Montfichet, as he
stepped out, with the lad close at his heels.

"What is the tumult and rioting?" cried out the Squire, authoritatively,
and he blew twice on a silver whistle which hung at his belt.

The strollers rushed at once toward the old man, and faced their enemies
resolutely when they had gained his side. They were out of breath, and
their story was a confused one.

The little tumbler recovered first. After the Squire had left them, he
said, the Nottingham lad had returned with full a score of riotous
apprentices, all armed with cudgels. They had demanded a fresh trial of
skill for the Squire's purse of pennies.

"Which was denied us in most vile words, lording," cried out one from
the crowd, which had come to a halt and was now formed in an angry
sheepish ring about the front of the wizard's tent.

"Nay, we refused their request most politely, most noble," said the
little stroller. "And then they became vexed, and would have snatched
your purse from us. So my brother did stow the pennies quickly into his
wallet, and, giving me the purse----"

"You flung it full in my face!" roared the Nottingham wrestler, pushing
his way to the front, "you little viper, so I snatched at him to give
him the whipping he deserved, when----"

"I could not see my boy injured, excellence, for but doing his duty as
one of Cumberland's sons. So I did push this fellow."

"It is enough," said George Gamewell, sharply, and he turned upon the
crowd. "Shame on you, citizens," cried he; "I blush for my fellows of
Nottingham. Is this how you play an English game: to force your rivals
to lose to you any way? Cumberland has won my purse: the test was fairly
set, and fairly were we conquered. Surely we can submit with good
grace."

"'Tis fine for you to talk, old man," answered the lean, sullen
apprentice. "But _I_ wrestled with this fellow and do know that he
played unfairly in the second bout. Else had I not gone down at the
clutch, as all did see."

"Insolent!" spoke the Squire, losing all patience; "and it was to _you_
that I gave another purse in consolation! Go your ways ere I cause you
to be more soundly whipped than your deserts, which should bring heavy
enoug