wn fat. I am slow of apprehension, Master
Wither----"

"Droop, sir--Droop."

"Nay--cry you mercy--Master Droop."

"Why, now, Sir Percy," said Copernicus, with oily grace, "ef you
wouldn't mind, I'd be proud ef you'd set down over yonder, perchance,
and have a glass with me. We'd be more private then, and I could make
this hull business clear to ye. What say ye, sir?"

"Why, there's my hand, Master Dupe--Droop," said the knight, his face
brightening mightily. "Five yards are a mile for a man of my girth,
Master Droop, but praise God such words as these of yours cheer my heart
to still greater deeds than faring a mile afoot."

Slowly and painfully the corpulent knight drew himself to his feet, and
with one hand bearing affectionately but heavily on Droop's shoulder, he
shuffled over to the recess and seated himself.

"What ho, there! Drawer!" he shouted, as soon as they were comfortably
disposed face to face.

"Anon, sir, anon!" came the familiar reply, and the drawer, who had just
served two new guests at the long table, now hurried over to the nook
behind the casks.

"A quart of sack, villain!" said Sir Percevall.

"And for you, sir?" said the drawer, turning to Droop.

"Yes, yea, bring me the same." He had no idea what sack was, but he felt
that in all probability it was a mild beverage, or no one would order a
quart at once.

"And this same letter, now," Sir Percevall began. "To warn you truly,
friend, this matter of monopolies hath something of an ill savor in the
public mind. What with sweet wines, salt, hides, vinegar, iron, oil,
lead, yarn, glass, and what not in monopoly, men cry out that they are
robbed and the Queen's advisers turn pale at the very word."

He interrupted himself to give his attention to the wine which had just
been placed before him.

"To better acquaintance!" he said, and the two drank deep together.

Droop smacked his lips critically and turned up his eyes for greater
abstraction. The wine was pleasant to the palate, he thought,
but--well--it wasn't whiskey.

"Of this letter, now," the knight resumed, anxious to discover his own
advantage in Droop's plans. "'Twere vain for you, a stranger to the
Lord High Treasurer, to accost him with it. A very circumspect and
pragmatical old lord, believe me. Not every man hath admittance to him,
I promise ye. As for me, why, God 'ild you, man! 'twas but yesterday a
fortnight Burleigh slapped me o' the shoulder and said: 'Percevall, ye
g