"This man, then, Master Humphrey, a' cometh into our kitchen and demands a pot of ale. So I fetched it to him and he paid me--" "Was his money good?" "Oh, aye, good money enough, I warrant him," said Geoffrey Scales. "I said naught to the contrary," continued Peter. "But no sooner had he drunk than he fell to cursing me for a thief, and swore that I had served him with small beer, and with that he caught up the tankard and heaved it at me with such force that my jaw is well-nigh broken." "And didst serve him with small beer?" "I serve him with small beer! Nay, Master Humphrey, bethink you. As if I did not know the difference betwixt small beer and good ale!" "That thou dost not," said the sailor. "Young sir, listen to me. I know thee not, and I fear thee not, and I know not why I should trouble to talk to thee. But thou seemest to be in authority." "'Tis Sir Thurstan's nephew," whispered the constable. "What know I of Sir Thurstan? Young sir, I am a man of Cornwall, and my name it is Pharaoh Nanjulian. They know me in Marazion. I have been on a venture to the North Seas--plague take it, there is naught but ice and snow there, with white bears twenty feet long--" "List to him!" said someone in the crowd. "I will show thee the white bear's trick, an' thou doubtest me. But to proceed. Young sir, we were wrecked--sixteen good men and true we were--off the Norroway coasts, which methinks are fashioned of iron, and we underwent trials, yea, and hunger. After a time we came to Drontheim--" "Where is that?" "A sea-coast town of Norroway, young sir. And thence we took ship to Scarborough. But there was no ship at Scarborough going south, wherefore I set out for mine own country on foot. And to-day, which is my first on this journey, I came to this inn for a pint of good ale, and paid my money for it too, whereupon yonder scurvy knave gives me small beer, thin as water. And I, being somewhat hot and choleric of temper, threw the measure at him, and rewarded him for his insolence. So now I will go on my way, for 'tis a brave step from here to Marazion, and I love not ye north-country folk." "Not so fast," quoth John Broad. "Thou must needs see Sir Thurstan before we let thee go." "What want I with Sir Thurstan?" "Marry, naught; but he may want something with thee. We allow not that wandering rascals shall break the peace in our village." "If thou talkest to me like that, Master Constable, I shall break thy head, and in such a fashion that thou wilt never more know what peace is. We men of Devon and Cornwall allow no man to lord it over us." "Thou shalt to Sir Thurstan, anyhow," said John Broad. "We will see what the law says to thee. I fear me thou art a man of lawless behavior; and, moreover, there are strange characters about at this moment." "Dame Good had two fowls stolen last night," said a voice in the crowd. "Yea, and there are two fine linen sheets stolen from the vicarage hedge," piped another.