to bid
you farewell."

"And how as to thy pledge to join us, young man?" demanded Fulford
sternly.

"I gave no pledge," said Stephen. "I said I would consider of it."

"Faint-hearted! ha! ha!" and the English Badgers translated the word to
the Germans, and set them shouting with derision.

"I am not faint-hearted," said Stephen; "but I will not break mine oath
to my master."

"And thine oath to me? Ha!" said Fulford.

"I sware you no oath, I gave you no word," said Stephen.

"Ha! Thou darest give me the lie, base prentice. Take that!"

And therewith he struck Stephen a crushing blow on the head, which
felled him to the ground. The host and all the company, used to pot-
house quarrels, and perhaps playing into his hands, took little heed;
Stephen was dragged insensible into another room, and there the Badgers
began hastily to divest him of his prentice's gown, and draw his arms
into a buff coat.

Fulford had really been struck with his bravery, and knew besides that
his skill in the armourer's craft would be valuable, so that it had been
determined beforehand that he should--by fair means or foul--leave the
Seven Stars a Badger.

"By all the powers of hell, you have struck too hard, sir. He is sped,"
said Marden anxiously.

"Ass! tut!" said Fulford. "Only enough to daze him till he be safe in
our quarters--and for that the sooner the better. Here, call Anton to
take his heels. We'll get him forth now as a fellow of our own."

"Hark! What's that?"

"Gentlemen," said the host hurrying in, "here be some of the gentlemen
of the English Cardinal, calling for a nephew of one of them, who they
say is in this house."

With an imprecation, Fulford denied all connection with gentlemen of the
Cardinal; but there was evidently an invasion, and in another moment,
several powerful-looking men in the crimson and black velvet of Wolsey's
train had forced their way into the chamber, and the foremost, seeing
Stephen's condition at a glance, exclaimed loudly, "Thou villain!
traitor! kidnapper! This is thy work."

"Ha! ha!" shouted Fulford, "whom have we here? The Cardinal's fool a
masquing! Treat us to a caper, quipsome sir?"

"I'm more like to treat you to the gyves," returned Randall. "Away with
you! The watch are at hand. Were it not for my wife's sake, they
should bear you off to the city jail; the Emperor should know how you
fill your ranks."

It was quite true. The city-guard were entering at