"Yes," I said, "I am Richard Judkins, of Judkins' Hall, sir, and am well known to Lord Dunmore. By what right do you fire upon us while we are simply out shooting for sport." Here I looked around for our bag and ammunition flasks to prove the statement, if necessary; but Sam, who had been carrying almost everything, had run into the bushes before dropping his burdens, and they were out of sight. The ammunition left us was not of a character to corroborate my statement to any degree of exactness. It consisted now of several musket balls that Will had put in his pocket for use in case we had met larger game. "Sport, eh!" snarled the officer, rubbing his shoulder where a shot had penetrated the skin. "You'll see sport enough before we get through with you. You may start on them, sergeant." He turned away abruptly on saying this, and, with half a dozen men deployed as skirmishers, proceeded to examine the edges of the forest for traces of a hidden foe. "So 'tis sport ye're afther, hey?" said the sergeant. "Give yourself no oneasiness, ye'll see it fast enough. Rooney, me sowl, lay yer hand tinderly on yer trigger, while I investigate the handsome old un, an' if he so much as winks his ears, blow his tripes out, d'ye see?" Barron made no further comment, except to inquire of private Rooney what particular part of his anatomy held the "tripes" alluded to by the sergeant. "Hold yer tongue, ye handsome old man," said that officer. "My sowl, but ye have a dacent figure av a soldier, despite the years av yer cocoanut. Fancy him, boys, squinting wan av thim oies av his at a leddy," and he ended with a hoarse chuckle, while he carefully went through Barron's pockets. We were each examined in turn, but nothing of a hostile nature was discovered, except Will's half dozen bullets. These, with our tobacco and snuff boxes, were carefully tied up in a handkerchief and carried by the sergeant to the boat. Our guns were also appropriated. The officer in charge returned presently from his search along the shore, and having found nothing in the shape of a foe, he ordered all hands into the boat. I protested with some energy against this high handed proceeding, but was instantly seized by several soldiers while another stuck his bayonet point half an inch into my back. Will was treated in the same manner, and Barron, knowing resistance to be useless, set us the example by walking quickly to the boat and climbing aboard. In a few minutes we were on our way to the schooner.