I will tell my men off in parties, each with one of your constables to
point out the men, and we will pick them up so many every evening. It
is better not to break into houses and seize them; for, although we
are acting legally and under the authority of act of parliament, it is
always as well to avoid giving cause of complaint, which might tend to
excite a feeling against the war and make the government unpopular, and
which, moreover, might do you harm with the good citizens, and do me
harm with those above me. I am sure you agree with me."

"Quite so, quite so," the mayor said hastily; "you speak very prudently
and well, sir. I hope you will honor me by taking up your abode in my
house during your stay here; but may I ask you not to allow my wife,
who is inquisitive by nature, to see the list with which I furnish you?
Women are ever meddling in matters which concern them not."

"I understand," the officer said with a wink, "there are names on the
list of which your wife would not approve. I have known the same thing
happen before. But never fear, the list shall be kept safe; and, indeed,
it were better that nothing were said of my business in the town, for if
this get abroad, some of those whose conscience may tell them that they
will be likely to be chosen for service might very well slip off and be
out of the way until they hear that I and my men have left."

Two days later, when, as the evening was falling, Jack Stilwell was
walking up from the wharf, where he had been watching the unlading of
the vessel in which he was to sail, he came upon a group of four or five
soldiers standing at a corner. Then a voice, which he recognized as that
of the foreman, Richard Carson, said:

"That is your man, officer;" and the soldiers made a sudden rush upon
him.

Taken by surprise he nevertheless struggled desperately, but a heavy
blow with a staff fell on the back of his head, and for a time he knew
nothing more. When he recovered his consciousness he was lying almost in
complete darkness, but by the faint gleam of the lantern he discovered
that he was in the hold of a ship. Several other men were sitting or
laying near him. Some of them were cursing and swearing, others were
stanching the blood which flowed from various cuts and gashes.

"What does all this mean?" he asked as he somewhat recovered himself.

"It means," said one, "that we are pressed to serve as soldiers. I made
a fight for it, and just as they had got