(as one could tell at first sight) was sulky: belike by
deprivation of his favourite drink. Or perhaps the ale he took in
lieu of it--he had a tankard at his elbow--had soured on his stomach.

'Hey?' he began, frowning, as he broke the seal of my letter.
'Are all General Waller's troopers in this condition? Or does he
think it manners to send me a trumpeter in such trim?'

'My lord,' said I, 'your wine and my poor self have come by a
roundabout road, and on the way have been tapped of a trifle.'

'By whom, sir?'

'By certain of your men, my lord.'

'I'll hang 'em for it, then.'

'I thank you, my lord; but for that you must treat with General
Waller.' And I told him the tale, or so much of it as I thought was
good for him.

At the close he eyed me awhile angrily, with his brows drawn down.

'You are an impudent knave, sir, to stand and tell me this to my
face. Look ye here, Bolle'--he swung round upon the colonel, who had
put forth a hand as though to arrest this unseemly abuse. 'How do I
know that this dog has not tampered with the wine? By God!' he broke
out as a servant entered with a stoup of it, 'I'll not drink it--I'll
not drink a drop of it--until this fellow has first tasted it, here,
in our presence.'

I believe that I went white: but 'twas with rage. 'Give me a glass
of it,' I answered; and, as the servant filled and handed to me,
'The wine, my lord, came on your own petition and at your own risk,
as I must remind you. Nevertheless, I will drink--to your long life,
and better manners.' I drank, set down the glass, and asked, after a
pause, 'May I go, my lord?'

'You may go to the devil!'

I hesitated. 'There was, as I remember, some little mention of an
ox--'

'You may tell your master to come and fetch it,' he growled.

Well, my master did fetch it, and with speed. That same night he
assembled five thousand men without beat of drum in the park at
Farnham, and at seven o'clock we marched off towards Basing. On the
way to Crondall, we of the horse halted for an hour to let the foot
regiments catch up with us, and all together headed down upon Alton.
In this way, at nine in the morning, we came down upon the west of
the town, while the earl kept watch on the roads to the eastwards;
and charged at once.

I say that the earl kept watch; but in truth he had put this duty
upon his captains, while he still fuddled himself with our general's
sack. He and his horse never gave fight, but