“Heaven have mercy, young sir,” he said when he saw Stephen, and, as he spoke, took off his tall, gold-laced hat and wiped his dripping forehead, “but this America is no place for a hot-blooded English soldier. ’Tis worse than the Low Countries, for there at least men could find somewhat to drink, since, however many the battlefields were, there were always inns near by.” At a whispered word from Stephen, his sister Elizabeth had run all to the house and presently returned with a tall blue mug, brimming over with cool water from the spring. This was gravely presented to the traveller by Stephen, since none of the other children would venture close enough. “Many thanks,” said the man, as he took a great draught. Then he held the cup from him and looked at it in comic dismay. “Water!” he exclaimed, “sure that is a thin drink for a great stout soldier like myself, and on the King’s accession day, too. But it is cool and wet, at least, and I am well-nigh choked with the dust of this weary road. So here is a health to my friend George of Hanover, may he reign long and send me on better errands than my present one!” Thus saying, he emptied the mug and handed it back to Stephen. “And what is the business that brings you here?” the boy inquired boldly. The soldier’s twinkling blue eyes were so friendly that he no longer felt in the least afraid. “A matter that I like none too well,” the man replied. “Since there are no wars for the King’s soldiers to fight at present, he must needs send us to the help of the royal navy. My business here is to seek out new timber for the English fleet. Too many of our good ships have been sent to the bottom by those agile Frenchmen, so that both the Old and the New England must give their wood that we may build our navy up again. This tree now,” he added, stepping back and measuring the tall pine with his eye, “’tis a splendid great fellow, and will make a worthy mast for the flagship of the Admiral himself.” “No, no!” cried Stephen in alarm. “You would never cut down our finest tree, that my great-grandfather planted so long ago.” “The King’s fleet must have its masts and spars,” returned the man, “and every tree that we take must have been planted some time. It is an old law and you in the Colonies should know it well, that no timber above a certain size shall be cut save for the English navy. King George has need of your tree, my lad, and, if I mistake not, King George will have it.” “It does the King’s service here,” maintained Stephen stoutly, “and it shall not be hewn down and carried away to be destroyed in some foreign war.” “Eh, and who are you to say what the King shall and shall not have?” returned the other sharply. “Even I, who am Sergeant Branderby of His Majesty’s army, have found it better, when the royal wishes run counter to my own, to let the King have his way. It is wiser so, boy; I advise no one to stand against the English government unless he would come to harm.”