"You are as timorous about giving it as if you were a girl." "Twenty!" exclaimed I in my deepest voice and most imperious manner. "And, sir, I would thank you to modify your allusion to any timidity you may falsely suspect me of." I laid my hand on my sword and was glad to feel the touch of the hilt. It gave me something to still my agitation. "Thou art a good lad," said the captain genially, clapping me heavily upon the shoulder, "if but a slight one. I like your pluck, Master Carthew, and I have no doubt we will turn you into a brave soldier yet." "I have, I trust, interest enough to procure me a cornetcy." "Interest is well enough, but, hark ye, a word in your ear. What you Scots call siller is about the most interesting appeal any one can make to King James." "I will e'en have a supply of that." "Well, then," returned the captain, "the matter can be easily arranged, I make no doubt. We shall take further counsel on 't to-morrow. If agreeable to you, I should like to have you in my own company of guards. There's a vacancy or two since Sedgemoor, and I'll own my heart warms to you, lad." "Nothing would please me better," said I, delighted at the success of my ruse, "than the prospect of service under so distinguished a master of the art as yourself." "You talk like a book, boy," said the captain, not ill-pleased, however, at the compliment. "I foresee we shall get along vastly well. I had been pining for the sight of a woman in all these lonely rides, but you will take the place of one as well as any man on earth could." Could he suspect me? "Sir, sir!" I cried, "do I infer that you think me womanish?" "What a tinder-box it is!" laughed the captain. "I only meant your wit and your spirit would go far to render other company unnecessary. Come," he resumed, "loose your hold upon your sword. I am too old to fight with you, and in too peaceful a mood for quarrel to-night, especially about nothing." "Gentlemen," said the landlord, coming out of the door and approaching us, "your supper is served. Not hearing to the contrary and seeing you together, sirs, I have ventured to set it at one table." "You have done well," I replied. "Excellent i' faith," commented my companion genially. And together we turned toward the house. It was, indeed, a noble supper that was set before us. My fellow-traveller insisted that, as I was the first-comer and had done the ordering, to me appertained the head of the table. He proved a good trencherman likewise, and made much mock of my small appetite, alleging that all good soldiers were of necessity good feeders. I did my best to follow his generous example, but I am afraid I minced more as a woman than ate vigorously as a man.