y would have arrested the Ensign immediately, and
so lost all the profit of the score which the latter was causing every
moment to be enlarged.

In a couple of hours, with that happy facility which one may have
often remarked in men of the gallant Ensign's nation, he had managed to
disgust every one of the landlord's other guests, and scare them from
the kitchen. Frightened by his addresses, the landlady too had taken
flight; and the host was the only person left in the apartment; who
there stayed for interest's sake merely, and listened moodily to
his tipsy guest's conversation. In an hour more, the whole house was
awakened by a violent noise of howling, curses, and pots clattering to
and fro. Forth issued Mrs. Landlady in her night-gear, out came John
Ostler with his pitchfork, downstairs tumbled Mrs. Cook and one or two
guests, and found the landlord and ensign on the kitchen-floor--the wig
of the latter lying, much singed and emitting strange odours, in the
fireplace, his face hideously distorted, and a great quantity of his
natural hair in the partial occupation of the landlord; who had drawn it
and the head down towards him, in order that he might have the benefit
of pummelling the latter more at his ease. In revenge, the landlord was
undermost, and the Ensign's arms were working up and down his face and
body like the flaps of a paddle-wheel: the man of war had clearly the
best of it.

The combatants were separated as soon as possible; but, as soon as the
excitement of the fight was over, Ensign Macshane was found to have no
further powers of speech, sense, or locomotion, and was carried by his
late antagonist to bed. His sword and pistols, which had been placed at
his side at the commencement of the evening, were carefully put by,
and his pocket visited. Twenty guineas in gold, a large knife--used,
probably, for the cutting of bread-and-cheese--some crumbs of those
delicacies and a paper of tobacco found in the breeches-pockets, and in
the bosom of the sky-blue coat, the leg of a cold fowl and half of a raw
onion, constituted his whole property.

These articles were not very suspicious; but the beating which the
landlord had received tended greatly to confirm his own and his wife's
doubts about their guest; and it was determined to send off in the early
morning to Mr. Hayes, informing him how a person had lain at their inn
who had ridden thither mounted upon young Hayes's horse. Off set John
Ostler at earliest