at my expense, and been
misled by my [strong word] lies.

While this fight was going on (and its mere occurrence shows, perhaps,
that my conversation in those days was not entirely despicable--else
why should my new friends fight for me, when I had paid for the ale, and
therefore won the wrong tense of gratitude?) it was in my power at any
moment to take horse and go. And this would have been my wisest plan,
and a very great saving of money; but somehow I felt as if it would be a
mean thing to slip off so. Even while I was hesitating, and the men were
breaking each other's heads, a superior officer rode up, with his sword
drawn, and his face on fire.

'What, my lambs, my lambs!' he cried, smiting with the flat of his
sword; 'is this how you waste my time and my purse, when you ought to be
catching a hundred prisoners, worth ten pounds apiece to me? Who is this
young fellow we have here? Speak up, sirrah; what art thou, and how much
will thy good mother pay for thee?'

'My mother will pay naught for me,' I answered; while the lambs fell
back, and glowered at one another: 'so please your worship, I am no
rebel; but an honest farmer, and well-proved of loyalty.'

'Ha, ha; a farmer art thou? Those fellows always pay the best. Good
farmer, come to yon barren tree; thou shalt make it fruitful.'

Colonel Kirke made a sign to his men, and before I could think of
resistance, stout new ropes were flung around me; and with three men on
either side I was led along very painfully. And now I saw, and repented
deeply of my careless folly, in stopping with those boon-companions,
instead of being far away. But the newness of their manners to me, and
their mode of regarding the world (differing so much from mine own), as
well as the flavour of their tobacco, had made me quite forget my duty
to the farm and to myself. Yet methought they would be tender to me,
after all our speeches: how then was I disappointed, when the men who
had drunk my beer, drew on those grievous ropes, twice as hard as the
men I had been at strife with! Yet this may have been from no ill will;
but simply that having fallen under suspicion of laxity, they were
compelled, in self-defence, now to be over-zealous.

Nevertheless, however pure and godly might be their motives, I beheld
myself in a grievous case, and likely to get the worst of it. For the
face of the Colonel was hard and stern as a block of bogwood oak; and
though the men might pity me and think me