"Have an eye to your girl, if he does. Though a married
man, his Excellency is led off by every lacing-string that
comes within reach."

The master of Greenwood privately thought that the precautionary
advice as to his daughter might come with better
grace from some other source; but both guest and host, for
reasons best known to each, had tacitly agreed to ignore the
past, and so the squire thanked his counsellor.

"Ye'll not forget to seek out my horses!" he added, when
the commissary picked up his bridle.

"Assuredly not," promised Clowes. "How many didst
say ye lost?"

"Two. All the Whig thieves left to me of the nine I had."

"Fudge, man! Say nothing of the Whig thieves, but lay
them all to our account. We've plunderers in plenty in our
own force, let alone the dirty pigs of Hessians, and King
George shall pay for the whole nine."

"Nay, Lord Clowes, because I've been robbed, I'll not
turn--" began the squire.

[Illustration: "He'd make a proper husband."]

"What is more," went on the benevolently-inclined officer,
"I will tell ye something that will be worth many a pound.