, looked at that
little army as though it had been a post, and went their shut-mouthed
way. Never a sign! Never a word! They'd ha' perished sooner than let
Brightling overcrow us. Even that villain, Ticehurst Will, coming out
of the Bell for his morning ale, he all but runs under Sir John's horse.

"''Ware, Sirrah Devil!" cries Sir John, reining back.

"'Oh!" says Will. "Market-day, is it? And all the bullocks from
Brightling here?"

'I spared him his belting for that--the brazen knave!

'But John Collins was our masterpiece! He happened along-street (his
jaw tied up where Sebastian had clouted him) when we were trundling the
first demi-cannon through the lych-gate.

"'I reckon you'll find her middlin' heavy," he says. "If you've a mind
to pay, I'll loan ye my timber-tug. She won't lie easy on ary
wool-wain."

'That was the one time I ever saw Sebastian taken flat aback. He
opened and shut his mouth, fishy-like.

"'No offence," says Master John. "You've got her reasonable good
cheap. I thought ye might not grudge me a groat if I helped move her."
Ah, he was a masterpiece! They say that morning's work cost our John
two hundred pounds, and he never winked an eyelid, not even when he saw
the guns all carted off to Lewes.'

'Neither then nor later?' said Puck.

'Once. 'Twas after he gave St Barnabas' the new chime of bells. (Oh,
there was nothing the Collinses, or the Hayes, or the Fowles, or the
Fenners would not do for the church then! "Ask and have" was their
song.) We had rung 'em in, and he was in the tower with Black Nick
Fowle, that gave us our rood-screen. The old man pinches the bell-rope
one hand and scratches his neck with t'other. "Sooner she was pulling
yon clapper than my neck, he says. That was all! That was Sussex
seely Sussex for everlasting.'

'And what happened after?' said Una.

'I went back into England,' said Hal, slowly. 'I'd had my lesson
against pride. But they tell me I left St Barnabas' a jewel--just
about a jewel! Wel-a-well! 'Twas done for and among my own people,
and--Father Roger was right--I never knew such trouble or such triumph
since. That's the nature o' things. A dear--dear land.' He dropped
his chin on his chest.

'There's your Father at the Forge. What's he talking to old Hobden
about?' said Puck, opening his hand with three leaves in it.

Dan looked towards the cottage.

'Oh, I know. It's that old oak lying across the brook. Pater always