g touched at heart by soft confessions, laid
hard hands to wrinkled noses.

"Mary, I vow to you, as I stand here," said Robin, for the fiftieth
time, leading her nearer to the treacherous hedge, as he pressed her
trembling hand, and gazed with deep ecstasy into her truthful eyes, "I
will live only to deserve you, darling. I will give up everything and
everybody in the world, and start afresh. I will pay king's duty upon
every single tub; and set up in the tea and spirit line, with his
Majesty's arms upon the lintel. I will take a large contract for the
royal navy, who never get anything genuine, and not one of them ever
knows good from bad--"

"That's a dirty lie, Sir. In the king's name I arrest you."

Lieutenant Carroway leaped before them, flourishing a long sword, and
dancing with excitement, in this the supreme moment of his life. At the
same instant three men came bursting through the hedge, drew hangers,
and waited for orders. Robin Lyth, in the midst of his love, was so
amazed, that he stood like a boy under orders to be caned.

"Surrender, Sir! Down with your arms; you are my prisoner. Strike to his
Majesty. Hands to your side! or I run you through like Jack Robinson!
Keep back, men. He belongs to me."

But Carroway counted his chicks too soon; or at any rate he overlooked
a little chick. For while he was making fine passes (having learned the
rudiments of swordsmanship beyond other British officers), and just as
he was executing a splendid flourish, upon his bony breast lay Mary. She
flung her arms round him, so that move he could not without grievously
tearing her; and she managed, in a very wicked way, to throw the whole
weight of two bodies on his wounded heel. A flash of pain shot up to his
very sword; and down he went, with Mary to protect him, or at any rate
to cover him. His three men, like true Britons, stood in position, and
waited for their officer to get up and give orders.

These three men showed such perfect discipline that Robin was invited to
knock them down, as if they had simply been three skittles in a row;
he recovered his presence of mind and did it; and looking back at Mary,
received signal to be off. Perceiving that his brave love would take
no harm--for the tanner was come forth blustering loudly, and Mrs.
Popplewell with shrieks and screams enough to prevent the whole
Preventive Service--the free-trader kissed his hand to Mary, and was
lost through the bushes, and away into the da