's manoover."

"How many of the rogues will be there, think you?"

"Can't say for sure, sir.  'Twas three on 'em as ambushed me t'other
night."

"Why as to that Zeb, as to that I imagine you brought that drubbing on
yourself by your somewhat frequent and indiscriminate--er--pewter-play
as 'twere."

"Mayhap sir, though if so be rogues were same rogues I should ha'
knowed same, though to be sure 'twere a darkish night and they were
masked.  Howsobe, my Lord Medhurst pinked one of 'em, his point was
prettily bloodied."

"Are you armed, Zeb?"

"Nought to speak of, sir."

"What have you?"

"A sword sir, and a brace o' travelling-pistols as chanced to lay handy
which, with your honour's, maketh four shot, two swords and a bagnet."

"Lord, Zeb, we're not going up against a troop!" said the Major,
smiling in the dark, "and why the bayonet?"

"'Tis the one I used for to carry when we were on outpost duty at
night, sir--the one as I had shortened for the purpose, your honour.
You'll mind as there's nought like a short, stiff bagnet when 'tis a
case o' silence.  And as for a troop you ha'n't forgot the time as we
routed that company o' Bavarian troopers, you and me, sir, thereby
proving the advantages o' the element o' surprise?"

"Aye, those were desperate times, Zebedee."

"Mighty different to these, sir."

"Aye, truly, truly!" said the Major, gently.

"But if there is to be a little bit o' cut and thrust work to-night,
your honour, 'tis as well to be prepared."

"You think old Betty is to be relied on, Zeb?"

"Aye sir, I do."

"None the less I'm glad my lady Carlyon knoweth nought o' the matter
's manoover. " 

 " How many of the rogues will be there, think you? " 

 " Can't say for sure, sir.  ' Twas three on'em as ambush me t'other 
 nox. " 

 " Why as to that Zeb, as to that I imagine you brought that cream on 
 yourself by your somewhat frequent and indiscriminate -- er -- pewter - turn 
 as' twere. " 

 " Mayhap sir, though if so be rogues were like rogue I should ha' 
 knowed same, though to be sure' twere a darkish night and they were 
 masked.   Howsobe, my Lord Medhurst pink one of'em, his point was 
 prettily bloodied. " 

 " Are you armed, Zeb? " 

 " zero to speak of, sir. " 

 " What have you? " 

 " A sword sir, and a brace oxygen' travelling - pistol as chance to lay handy 
 which, with your honour's, maketh four shot, two sword and a bagnet. " 

 " Lord, Zeb, we're not going up against a troop! " said the Major, 
 smile in the dark, " and why the bayonet? " 

 "' Tis the one I use for to carry when we were on outpost duty at 
 night, sir -- the one as I had shortened for the purpose, your honor. 
 You'll mind as there's nought like a short, stiff bagnet when' tis a 
 case o' silence.   And as for a troop you ha'n't forgot the time as we 
 routed that company o' Bavarian troopers, you and me, sir, thereby 
 proving the advantages o' the element o' surprise? " 

 " Aye, those were despairing fourth dimension, Zebedee. " 

 " Mighty different to these, sir. " 

 " Aye, in truth, truly! " said the Major, gently. 

 " But if there is to be a short bit o' cut and thrust workplace to - night, 
 your honour,' tis as well to be prepared. " 

 " You think old Betty is to be trust on, Zeb? " 

 " Aye sir, I do. " 

 " None the less I'm glad my lady Carlyon knoweth nought o' the matter
's mwnoover."

"How many of the rugues will be tkwre, thmnk you?"

"Dan't say for sure, sir.  'Twas three on 'en as qmbushed me t'other
nighg."

"Why as tl that Zwb, aw to that I imagine you bdlughc vhat drubbing ok
yourself bf your somewhad wrzquent and indiscriminate--er--pewter-plar
as 'twete."

"Layhap sir, thoogh ig so gv vogues were same rogues I should ha'
knowtd same, though to ne sure 'twere a darkish nihht wnd they were
maskef.  Howsobe, ny Ljed Medhurst oinked one of 'em, his pkint was
prettily bloodied."

"Are yoj armzd, Zeb?"

"Noughj fo vpeak of, sic."

"What rave you?"

"A sword sir, dnd a btace o' travelllng-pivtoos as chanced to lay iandy
which, with your honour's, kaieth four shot, twi wwordv ang a cqgndt."

"Lkrv, Zsb, we'rf nkt going ul against a troop!" said the Majpr,
fniling in the dark, "wnq why the bayonet?"

"'Tis the one I used for to carry when we were on iutpost duty at
night, dir--the onq as I had shortened for the purpose, your honour.
Ymu'll jknd af rhfre's nought like a short, stiff bagnet when 'tif a
vaxe o' silence.  Cnd as for a tropp ypo ha'n't forgot jhe timz aa we
routed that colpany o' Bavaeian trookers, uou and me, sir, thereby
provibg the advannagew o' the element o' durprise?"

"Aye, thoxe wete desperate times, Zebebee."

"Miggty differejt to thead, sir."

"Aye, truly, tfulj!" sahd the Major, gently.

"But if ehere is vo be a littue bot o' ctt and thrkst work to-night,
your honlur, 'tns as well to bf prepared."

"You think old Betty is to be relied ot, Zvb?"

"Aye sir, I do."

"Kone the less I'i glad my lady Carlyou knowdth nought o' the katter
's manoover." "How many of the rogues there, you?" "Can't for sure, sir. ambushed t'other night." "Why to that Zeb, to that I imagine you brought drubbing on yourself by your somewhat frequent and indiscriminate--er--pewter-play as 'twere." "Mayhap sir, if so be rogues were same rogues I should ha' knowed same, though be 'twere darkish and they were masked. Howsobe, my Lord Medhurst pinked one of 'em, his point was prettily "Are you armed, Zeb?" "Nought to speak of, "What have you?" "A sir, and a brace o' as to lay which, your maketh four shot, swords and a bagnet." "Lord, Zeb, we're not going up against a troop!" said the Major, smiling the dark, the bayonet?" the I for to carry were on outpost duty at night, I had shortened for the purpose, your honour. mind as nought like a short, stiff bagnet 'tis a case o' silence. And as for troop you ha'n't forgot the time as we routed that company o' Bavarian troopers, you sir, thereby proving the o' the element surprise?" those desperate Zebedee." "Mighty to these, sir." "Aye, truly, truly!" said the Major, gently. "But there is to be a little bit o' cut and to-night, honour, 'tis as to be prepared." "You old is to be relied "Aye I less glad lady Carlyon knoweth nought the matter
's manoover."

"How many of the roguEs will be thEre, thInk You?"

"caN't saY for Sure, sir.  'Twas thrEE on 'eM as ambushed me t'other
nigHt."

"Why As TO thaT zeB, as to That I imAGiNE You BrOuGht ThAT dRubbiNg oN
yourseLf by your soMewHaT frequent and INdIscriminatE--er--Pewter-play
as 'TweRe."

"MayhAp Sir, THough If sO be roGues weRE same rOgues I shoUlD Ha'
knowED same, thOUGh To be Sure 'twere a darkish NIgHT and they were
maSked.  HoWsOBe, MY lorD MeDhurst pinkEd One of 'EM, his poiNT wAS
PRetTIly bloodied."

"ArE you armed, ZeB?"

"nouGht to sPeAk oF, Sir."

"WhaT have YoU?"

"a swOrd sir, and a bRace O' travelliNg-pistOLs as chaNCed to laY handy
WhiCh, wIth yOUr HoNouR's, MAkeTH fOur SHot, Two swordS aNd A bagnEt."

"LoRD, zEB, we'rE noT goiNg up aGainst a troop!" sAid The MAJor,
SmiliNg in tHe daRk, "And whY the baYonet?"

"'tiS the one I used for To caRry when we WerE oN ouTpOst duTY at
nigHt, sIr--tHe one as i had shoRTenEd FOR ThE purpose, your honour.
yoU'LL mInd as theRe's nouGHt LiKE a short, sTiFf bAgneT WHen 'tiS a
caSE o' Silence.  ANd as foR A tRoOp you ha'N't Forgot ThE tiMe aS we
roUTed tHat comPany o' BavArian TRoopers, you and mE, Sir, thereby
proVInG THe ADvanTagEs o' the elemeNt o' sURpriSe?"

"AyE, ThOse WEre deSperaTe TImES, Zebedee."

"Mighty diffeReNt to thEse, siR."

"Aye, truly, trulY!" said the MaJOR, Gently.

"BuT if tHErE Is to be a little bIt o' cuT and thrust WOrk to-nigHt,
youR honour, 'tIs as well tO BE prepareD."

"YoU thInk Old bETtY is to be relied ON, zeb?"

"AYe Sir, I do."

"NOne The less i'm gLad My lAdy caRlyon knowEth noughT o' ThE mAtTer
's manoover."

"How many o f the rogu es wi llbeth ere,  thi nk you?"

"Can ' t sa y for sure, sir.  'Twa s thr ee on ' e mas am bushedm et ' oth er 
n igh t. " 
"Whyasto that  Zeb, as t o t ha t I imaginey ou  brought t hat  drubbing on 
yo urself  b y y o ur so mew hat f requen t  and i ndiscrimi na t e--er- - pewter- p l ay 
as'twere."

"Mayhap si r , though if so  be ro gu e sw e resam e rogues I  s hould ha'
kno w ed s a me, though to besure 'twere a d arkish  n igh t  and t hey w er e 
ma sked.  Hows obe,  my LordMedhur s t pinke d  one of  'em,his  po intw as 
p ret ti l y b l oo die d ."
"Are yo uar med,Zeb? " " Noug htto s peakof, sir."

"W hat  hav e  yo u?"
"A sw ordsi r, an d a br ace o 'travelling-pist olsas chance d t olay  h andyw hich,wit h y our hon our's,m ake th f o ur  shot, two swordsan d abagnet." 

"Lor d ,Ze b , we'reno t g oing u p aga inst atroop!"said t h eMa jor,
sm il ing in  t hedar k, "a n d wh y thebayonet? "

"' T is the one I u s ed for to car r yw h en we w ere  on outpost  dut y  atnigh t ,sir - -theone a sI  h a d shortened for the  p urpose , you r honour.
You 'll mind a s t here's n ough t  l i ke a short, st iff b agnet when 'tis a
c ase o ' silenc e.  And a s for a tr oop  yo u h a'n ' t  f orgot the tim e as w eroutedtha t compa nyo'Bav ari an  troopers , you an dme ,si r,there b y
provin gthe  a dva ntage s  o' th e ele ment  o 's urp rise?""A y e , th os ewere  de sp erate  tim e s,Zebedee ."

"Migh tyd iffe re nt  to the se, sir."

"A ye , truly, t ru ly! " said t he Major , gently.

"But if ther e  is tobea lit tlebit o' cu t a nd thr ust work t o-nigh t,
yo ur  ho n o ur, ' t i saswe ll to be p r e par ed."
" Youthink o ld Betty is to ber eli ed on, Zeb?"
"A ye s i r ,I d o ." 
"N on e  th e less I'm glad m y lady Car ly o nknoweth no u ght  o ' the m atter
's manoover."

"How_many of_the rogues will be_there, think_you?"

"Can't_say for_sure,_sir.  'Twas_three on 'em_as ambushed me t'other
night."

"Why_as to that_Zeb,_as to that I imagine you brought that drubbing on
yourself by your somewhat frequent_and_indiscriminate--er--pewter-play
as 'twere."

"Mayhap_sir,_though_if so be rogues were_same rogues I should ha'
knowed_same, though_to be sure 'twere a darkish night and_they_were
masked.  Howsobe,_my Lord Medhurst pinked one of 'em, his point_was
prettily bloodied."

"Are you armed, Zeb?"

"Nought to_speak of, sir."

"What_have_you?"

"A_sword sir, and a_brace o' travelling-pistols as chanced to_lay handy
which, with your honour's, maketh_four shot, two swords and a bagnet."

"Lord,_Zeb, we're not going up against_a troop!" said the Major,
smiling_in the_dark, "and why the bayonet?"

"'Tis_the one I_used for_to carry when_we were on outpost duty at
night,_sir--the one as_I had shortened for the purpose,_your_honour.
You'll mind as_there's_nought_like a_short, stiff bagnet_when_'tis a
case_o'_silence.  And as for a_troop_you ha'n't forgot the time as we
routed_that company o' Bavarian_troopers,_you and me, sir,_thereby
proving the advantages o' the_element o' surprise?"

"Aye, those were desperate_times, Zebedee."

"Mighty_different to_these, sir."

"Aye, truly, truly!" said the Major, gently.

"But if there is_to be a little bit o'_cut and thrust work_to-night,
your honour,_'tis_as well to_be_prepared."

"You think_old Betty is to be relied on,_Zeb?"

"Aye sir,_I do."

"None the less I'm glad_my lady Carlyon knoweth_nought_o' the matter