companion pulled up at a bare barn-like building, and bade me look in
through the window.

The interior, which consisted of a single great hall, the empty
warehouse in which wool had used to be stored, was all alight with lamps
and candles. A great throng of men, whom I recognised as belonging to
my own company, or that of my companion, lay about on either side, some
smoking, some praying, and some burnishing their arms. Down the middle a
line of benches had been drawn up, on which there were seated astraddle
the whole hundred of the baronet's musqueteers, each engaged in plaiting
into a queue the hair of the man who sat in front of him. A boy walked
up and down with a pot of grease, by the aid of which with some whipcord
the work was going forward merrily. Sir Gervas himself with a great
flour dredger sat perched upon a bale of wool at the head of the line,
and as quickly as any queue was finished he examined it through his
quizzing glass, and if it found favour in his eyes, daintily powdered it
from his dredger, with as much care and reverence as though it were some
service of the Church. No cook seasoning a dish could have added
his spices with more nicety of judgment than our friend displayed in
whitening the pates of his company. Glancing up from his labours he saw
our two smiling faces looking in at him through the window, but his work
was too engrossing to allow him to leave it, and we rode off at last
without having speech with him.

By this time the town was very quiet and still, for the folk in those
parts were early bed-goers, save when some special occasion kept them
afoot. We rode slowly together through the silent streets, our horses'
hoofs ringing out sharp against the cobble stones, talking about such
light matters as engage the mind of youth. The moon was shining very
brightly above us, silvering the broad streets, and casting a fretwork
of shadows from the peaks and pinnacles of the churches. At Master
Timewell's courtyard I sprang from my saddle, but Reuben, attracted by
the peace and beauty of the scene, rode onwards with the intention of
going as far as the town gate.

I was still at work upon my girth buckles, undoing my harness, when of
a sudden there came from the street a shouting and a rushing, with the
clinking of blades, and my comrade's voice calling upon me for help.
Drawing my sword I ran out. Some little way down there was a clear
space, white with the moonshine, in the centre of whic