is cow-tail on the
table, "whose guns are they, then?"

'"Yours, manifestly," says Sir John. "You come with the King's Order for
'em, and Master Collins casts them in his foundry. If he chooses to
bring them up from Nether Forge and lay 'em out in the church-tower,
why, they are e'en so much the nearer to the main road and you are saved
a day's hauling. What a coil to make of a mere act of neighbourly
kindness, lad!"

'"I fear I have requited him very scurvily," says Sebastian, looking at
his knuckles. "But what of the demi-cannon? I could do with 'em well,
but they are 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 h