will not be a thatch left unlighted over t' whole
country side; as it is, us can scarce keep these murthering Tangiers
devils from oor throats.'

'His request is in reason,' said the highwayman bluntly. 'We have no
right to have our fun, and then go our way leaving others to pay the
score.'

'Well, hark ye,' said Sir Gervas, turning to the group of frightened
rustics. 'I'll strike a bargain with ye over the matter. We have come
out for supplies, and can scarce go back empty-handed. If ye will among
ye provide us with a cart, filling it with such breadstuffs and greens
as ye may, with a dozen bullocks as well, we shall not only screen ye in
this matter, but I shall promise payment at fair market rates if ye will
come to the Protestant camp for the money.'

'I'll spare the bullocks,' quoth the old man whom we had rescued, who
was now sufficiently recovered to sit up. 'Zince my poor dame is foully
murthered it matters little to me what becomes o' the stock. I shall
zee her laid in Durston graveyard, and shall then vollow you to t' camp,
where I shall die happy if I can but rid the earth o' one more o' these
incarnate devils.'

'You say well, gaffer!' cried Hector Marot; 'you show the true spirit.
Methinks I see an old birding-piece on yonder hooks, which, with a brace
of slugs in it and a bold man behind it, might bring down one of these
fine birds for all their gay feathers.'

'Her's been a true mate to me for more'n thirty year,' said the old man,
the tears coursing down his wrinkled cheeks. 'Thirty zeed-toimes and
thirty harvests we've worked together. But this is a zeed-toime which
shall have a harvest o' blood if my right hand can compass it.'

'If you go to t' wars, Gaffer Swain, we'll look to your homestead,'
said the farmer who had spoken before. 'As to t' greenstuffs as this
gentleman asks for he shall have not one wainload but three, if he will
but gi' us half-an-hour to fill them up. If he does not tak them t'
others will, so we had raither that they go to the good cause. Here,
Miles, do you wak the labourers, and zee that they throw the potato
store wi' the spinach and the dried meats into the waggons wi' all
speed.'

'Then we had best set about our part of the contract,' said Hector
Marot. With the aid of our troopers he carried out the four dragoons and
our dead sergeant, and laid them on the ground some way down the lane,
leading the horses all round and between their bodies, so as to trample
the ea