s
guilty, I am prepared to take cognizance of the evidence. I presume you
did not come here without a warrant."

"We need no warrant," said the Lieutenant. "I am in command of His
Majesty's press."

The expression of Adam Ferris's face changed suddenly.

"My tenants and my tenants' sons are not subject to the press-gang.
There are no sailors among them--no, nor yet any fishermen."

"Captain Laurence of the dragoons is with us, sir," interpolated Eben
McClure; "he has a right to beat up for recruits for the land forces."

"Ah," said Adam, "at fairs and markets, with fife and drum--yes! But not
all over my estate, nor yet to meddle with my tenantry."

"He has particular permission from Earl Raincy," said the spy.

"I am not Earl Raincy, nor are my lands his," quoth Adam Ferris; "but,
by the way, where is this Captain Laurence of whom you speak?"

The question seemed to embarrass the two men. "He was with us," said the
Lieutenant at last, "but having discovered some fancied kinship with
your brother's family, he separated himself from us and went (as I
believe) to his house of Abbey Burnfoot!"

"Then I hope he does not press Julian for the cavalry. His cousin, the
Secretary, might have something to say to that!"

Altogether there was small change to be got out of Adam Ferris, and as
they gathered their men and, marched them off, they fell foul one of the
other, the officer with his exercised sea-tongue having much the better
of the word-strife. But presently they were friends again, both cursing
Captain Laurence of the dragoons for deserting them in their time of
need.

"I believe," said Lieutenant Everard, "that Laurence simply turned in
his tracks and went back to that bothy to carry more water for the
black-headed girl!"

This, however, was of little moment to the Superintendent of
Enlistments, who had a bounty upon every pressed man safe drafted to
headquarters or delivered on board ship.

"At any rate," he said, "we have lost our men, and we are little likely
to see them again!"

The Lieutenant turned angrily upon him.

"You are thinking of your dirty dollars," he said bitterly. "It is for
the sake of such as you that His Majesty's officers must be treated like
huckstering excisemen by every dirty Scot who owns as much ground as a
cow can turn round in! 'My estate!' 'My tenantry'--paugh, and the back
of his hand to you because you are no better than an Englishman!"

"The Ferrises are an ill folk to