ackguard," commanded the landlord, nervously, "this
perfiler of honest men."

"Arrest!--You drunken idiot!" indignantly exclaimed Charles; and his
sword cut the air before the constable's eyes.

Nell seized his arm. Her woman's intuition showed her the better course.

"You will raise a nest of them," she whispered. "You need your wits,
Sire; not your sword."

"Nay; come on, I say," cried Charles, fearlessly. "We'll see what his
Majesty's constables are made of."

"You rogue--_Posse!_" exclaimed Swallow, starting boldly for the
King, then making a brilliant retreat, calling loudly for help, as the
rapier tickled him in the ribs.

"You ruffian--_Posse!_" he continued to call, alternately, first to
one and then to the other; for his fear paralyzed all but his tongue.
"You outlaw--_Posse commi-ti-titous_--hic!"

Buzzard also now entered from his warm nest in the kitchen, so
intoxicated that he vented his enthusiasm in song, which in this case
seemed apt:

_"The man that is drunk is as great as a king."_

"Another champion of the King's law!" ejaculated Charles, not without a
shadow of contempt in his voice, once more assuming an attitude of
defence.

"Oh, Charles!" pleaded Nell, again catching his arm.

"_Posse_, arrest that vagabond," commanded the constable, from a
point of safety behind the table.

"Aye, aye, sir," replied the obedient Buzzard. "On what charge--hic?"

"He's a law-breaker and a robber!" yelled the watchful landlord.

"He called the law a drunken idiot. Hic--hic!" woefully wailed Swallow.
"Odsbud, that's treason! Arrest him, _posse_--hic!"

"Knave, I arrest--hic!" asserted Buzzard.

The _posse_ started boldly enough for his game, but was suddenly
brought to a stand-still in his reeling course by the sharp point of the
rapier playing about his legs. He made several indignant efforts to
overcome the obstacle. The point of the blade was none too gentle with
him, even as he beat a retreat; and his enthusiasm waned.

"Arrest him yourself--hic!" he exclaimed.

Swallow's face grew red with rage. To have his orders disobeyed fired
him with much more indignation of soul than the escape of the ruffian,
who was simply defrauding the landlord of a dinner. He turned hotly upon
the insubordinate _posse_, crying:

"I'll arrest you, you Buzzard--hic!"

"I'll arrest you, you Swallow--hic!" with equal dignity retorted
Buzzard.

"I'm his Majesty's constable--hic!" hissed Swallow, from lips char