第52章

'We rode to Brightling, and past Sir John's lodges, where the keepers would have shot at us for deer-stealers, and we had Sir John down into his Justice's chair, and when we had told him our tale and showed him the cow-hide which Sebastian wore still girt about him, he laughed till the tears ran.

"'Wel-a-well!" he says. "I'll see justice done before daylight. What's your complaint? Master Collins is my old friend."

"'He's none of mine," I cried. "When I think how he and his likes have baulked and dozened and cozened me at every turn over the church" - and I choked at the thought.

"'Ah, but ye see now they needed it for another use," says he smoothly. also they did my serpentines," Sebastian cries. "I should be half across the Western Ocean by now if my guns had been ready. But they're sold to a Scotch pirate by your old friend -"

"'Where's your proof?" says Sir John, stroking his beard.

"'I broke my shins over them not an hour since, and I heard John give order where they were to be taken," says Sebastian.

"'Words! Words only," says Sir John. "Master Collins is somewhat of a liar at best."

'He carried it so gravely that, for the moment, I thought he was dipped in this secret traffick too, and that there was not an honest ironmaster in Sussex.

"'Name o' Reason!" says Sebastian, and raps with his cow-tail on the table, "whose guns are they, then?"

"'Yours, manifestly," says Sir John. "You come with the King's Order for 'em, and Master Collins casts them in his foundry. If he chooses to bring them up from Nether Forge and lay 'em out in the church-tower, why, they are e'en so much the nearer to the main road and you are saved a day's hauling. What a coil to make of a mere act of neighbourly kindness, lad!"

"'I fear I have requited him very scurvily," says Sebastian, looking at his knuckles. "But what of the demi-cannon? I could do with 'em well, but they are not in the King's Order."

"'Kindness - loving-kindness," says Sir John. "Questionless, in his zeal for the King and his love for you, John adds those two cannon as a gift. 'Tis plain as this coming daylight, ye stockfish!"

"'So it is," says Sebastian. "Oh, Sir John, Sir John, why did you never use the sea? You are lost ashore." And he looked on him with great love.

"'I do my best in my station." Sir John strokes his beard again and rolls forth his deep drumming Justice's voice thus: "But - suffer me! - you two lads, on some midnight frolic into which I probe not, roystering around the taverns, surprise Master Collins at his" - he thinks a moment - "at his good deeds done by stealth. Ye surprise him, I say, cruelly."

"'Truth, Sir John. If you had seen him run!" says Sebastian.

"'On this you ride breakneck to me with a tale of pirates, and wool-wains, and cow-hides, which, though it hath moved my mirth as a man, offendeth my reason as a magistrate. So I will e'en accompany you back to the tower with, perhaps, some few of my own people, and three-four wagons, and I'll be your warrant that Master John Collins will freely give you your guns and your demi-cannon, Master Sebastian." He breaks into his proper voice - "I warned the old tod and his neighbours long ago that they'd come to trouble with their side-sellings and bye-dealings; but we cannot have half Sussex hanged for a little gun-running. Are ye content, lads?"

"'I'd commit any treason for two demi-cannon, said Sebastian, and rubs his hands.

,"Ye have just compounded with rank treason-felony for the same bribe," says Sir John. "Wherefore to horse, and get the guns."'

'But Master Collins meant the guns for Sir Andrew Barton all along, didn't he?' said Dan.

'Questionless, that he did,' said Hal. 'But he lost them.