ked, in a stern voice.

'I do--from my heart!' said he fervently.

'Then prepare to die!' I roared, whipping out my sword, 'for I am one of
his officers.'

At the sight of the steel the wretched clerk gave a perfect bellow of
terror, and falling upon his face he wriggled and twisted, until looking
up he perceived that I was laughing. On that he crawled up on to his
knees once more, and from that to his feet, glancing at me askance, as
though by no means assured of my intentions.

'You must remember me, Master Tetheridge,' I said. 'I am Captain Clarke,
of Saxon's regiment of Wiltshire foot. I am surprised, indeed, that you
should have fallen away from that allegiance to which you did not only
swear yourself, but did administer the oath to so many others.'

'Not a whit, Captain, not a whit!' he answered, resuming his old
bantam-cock manner as soon as he saw that there was no danger. 'I am
upon oath as true and as leal a man as ever I was.'

'That I can fully believe,' I answered.

'I did but dissimulate,' he continued, brushing the flour from his
person. 'I did but practise that cunning of the serpent which should
in every warrior accompany the courage of the lion. You have read your
Homer, doubtless. Eh? I too have had a touch of the humanities. I am no
mere rough soldier, however stoutly I can hold mine own at sword-play.
Master Ulysses is my type, even as thine, I take it, is Master Ajax.'

'Methinks that Master Jack-in-the-box would fit you better,' said I.
'Wilt have a half of this cake? How came you in the flour-bin?'

'Why, marry, in this wise,' he answered, with his mouth full of dough.
'It was a wile or ruse, after the fashion of the greatest commanders,
who have always been famous for concealing their movements, and lurking
where they were least expected. For when the fight was lost, and I had
cut and hacked until my arm was weary and my edge blunted, I found that
I was left alone alive of all the Taunton men. Were we on the field you
could see where I had stood by the ring of slain which would be found
within the sweep of my sword-arm. Finding that all was lost and that our
rogues were fled, I mounted our worthy Mayor's charger, seeing that the
gallant gentleman had no further need for it, and rode slowly from the
field. I promise you that there was that in my eye and bearing which
prevented their horse from making too close a pursuit of me. One trooper
did indeed throw himself across my path, but mine