aced the spigot with a plug.

There was a third knock at the door--louder than before.

"Anon, anon!" he called, hastily turning and catching up the half-filled
flagon from the table. He disappeared in the entry-way.

The brave representatives of the King's law craned their necks, but they
could hear nothing. As the silence continued, courage was gradually
restored to them; and, with the return of courage, came the desire for
further drink.

Swallow again seized his pike and staggered toward the entry-way to
impress his companion with his bravery.

Buzzard caught the spirit of the action. "Marry, I'd be a constable,
too, an it were to sit by the fire and guard a pretty wench," he said.
His face glowed in anticipation of such happiness as he glanced through
the half-open door to the kitchen, where the landlord's wife reigned.

"Egad, thou a constable!" ejaculated Swallow, contemptuously, throwing a
withering glance in the direction of his comrade. "Thou ignoramamus! Old
Rowley wants naught but brave men and sober men like me to guard the
law. Thou art a drunken Roundhead. One of Old Noll's vile ruffians. I
can tell it by the wart on thy nose, knave."

"Nay, Master Constable," explained Buzzard, with an injured look at the
mention of the wart, "it will soon away. Mother says, when I was a rosy
babe, Master Wart was all in all; now I'm a man, Master Nose is crowding
Neighbour Wart."

Swallow put his hands on his knees and laughed deeply. He contemplated
the nose and person of his companion with a curious air and grew mellow
with patronage.

"Thy fool's pate is not so dull," he said, half aloud, as he lighted a
long pipe and puffed violently. "Thy wit would crack a quarter-staff.
'Sbud, would'st be my _posse?_

This was, indeed, a concession on the part of the constable, who was
over-weighted with the dignity of the law which he upheld.

"Would'st be at my command," he continued, "to execute the King's
_Statu quos_ on rogues?"

"Marry, Constable Buzzard!" exclaimed the toper, gleefully. "Nay, and I
would!"

"Marry, 'Constable' Buzzard!" replied Swallow, with tremendous
indignation at the assumption of the fellow. "Nay, and thou would'st
not, ass! By my patron saint--"

As the constable spoke, Buzzard's eye, with a leer, lighted on the cask
in the corner. He bethought him that it had a vent-hole even though the
landlord had removed the spigot. He tiptoed unsteadily across the room,
and proceeded with much d