two bad men trying vainly to break open the pewter box, and the third
with a pistol-muzzle laid to the night-cap of his lordship. With foul
face and yet fouler words, this man was demanding the key of the box,
which the other men could by no means open, neither drag it from the
chain.

'I tell you,' said this aged Earl, beginning to understand at last what
these rogues were up for; 'I will give no key to you. It all belongs to
my boy, Alan. No one else shall have a farthing.'

'Then you may count your moments, lord. The key is in your old cramped
hand. One, two, and at three, I shoot you.'

I saw that the old man was abroad; not with fear, but with great wonder,
and the regrets of deafness. And I saw that rather would he be shot
than let these men go rob his son, buried now, or laid to bleach in the
tangles of the wood, three, or it might be four years agone, but still
alive to his father. Hereupon my heart was moved; and I resolved to
interfere. The thief with the pistol began to count, as I crossed the
floor very quietly, while the old Earl fearfully gazed at the muzzle,
but clenched still tighter his wrinkled hand. The villain, with hair all
over his eyes, and the great horse-pistol levelled, cried 'three,' and
pulled the trigger; but luckily, at that very moment, I struck up the
barrel with my staff, so that the shot pierced the tester, and then
with a spin and a thwack I brought the good holly down upon the rascal's
head, in a manner which stretched him upon the floor.

Meanwhile the other two robbers had taken the alarm, and rushed at me,
one with a pistol and one with a hanger; which forced me to be very
lively. Fearing the pistol most, I flung the heavy velvet curtain of the
bed across, that he might not see where to aim at me, and then stooping
very quickly I caught up the senseless robber, and set him up for a
shield and target; whereupon he was shot immediately, without having the
pain of knowing it; and a happy thing it was for him. Now the other two
were at my mercy, being men below the average strength; and no hanger,
except in most skilful hands, as well as firm and strong ones, has
any chance to a powerful man armed with a stout cudgel, and thoroughly
practised in single-stick.

So I took these two rogues, and bound them together; and leaving them
under charge of the butler (a worthy and shrewd Scotchman), I myself
went in search of the constables, whom, after some few hours, I found;
neither were