rant. When he is on safe ground he
will produce it, aye, and use it too, but until he is out of all danger
of falling in with the King's horse he is shy of strapping it to his
belt. He is one of the old breed by his cut, who:

"Call fire and sword and desolation,
A godly thorough reformation."

Old Samuel hath them to a penstroke! There is another ahead of him
there, with the head of a scythe inside his smock. Can you not see the
outline? I warrant there is not one of the rascals but hath a pike-head
or sickle-blade concealed somewhere about him. I begin to feel the
breath of war once more, and to grow younger with it. Hark ye, lad! I am
glad that I did not tarry at the inn.'

'You seemed to be in two minds about it,' said I.

'Aye, aye. She was a fine woman, and the quarters were comfortable. I do
not gainsay it. But marriage, d'ye see, is a citadel that it is plaguy
easy to find one's way into, but once in old Tilly himself could not
bring one out again with credit, I have known such a device on the
Danube, where at the first onfall the Mamelukes have abandoned the
breach for the very purpose of ensnaring the Imperial troops in the
narrow streets beyond, from which few ever returned. Old birds are not
caught with such wiles. I did succeed in gaining the ear of one of the
gossips, and asking him what he could tell me of the good dame and her
inn. It seemeth that she is somewhat of a shrew upon occasion, and that
her tongue had more to do with her husband's death than the dropsy which
the leech put it down to. Again, a new inn hath been started in the
village, which is well-managed, and is like to draw the custom from
her. It is, too, as you have said, a dull sleepy spot. All these reasons
weighed with me, and I decided that it would be best to raise my siege
of the widow, and to retreat whilst I could yet do so with the credit
and honours of war.'

''Tis best so,' said I; 'you could not have settled down to a life of
toping and ease. But our new comrade, what think you of him?'

'Faith!' Saxon answered, 'we shall extend into a troop of horse if we
add to our number every gallant who is in want of a job. As to this Sir
Gervas, however, I think, as I said at the inn, that he hath more mettle
in him than one would judge at first sight. These young sprigs of the
gentry will always fight, but I doubt if he is hardened enough or
hath constancy enough for such a campaign as this is like to be. His