Part 14 (2/2)
”You are very hospitable,” said Archy shortly; ”but I've got my duty to do, sir It's an unpleasant one, that we oods”
”Sarch? Oh, I give youhere”
”We must see about that”
”Well, this here arn't werry pleasant, Mr Orficer, seeing as I' But theer, I don't al, so long as they don't rip open the beds and chuck the furniture all over the place?”
”I should like to see any of the up like a great Dorking hen who saw a hawk
”Nothing about the place shall be injured, madam,” said Archy politely; ”but we must search”
”Oh, very well then,” said Mrs Shackle; ”but I ive us,” said Archy, raising his hat; ”we are His Majesty's servants, and we do it in the king's name”
Mrs Shackle responded with her best curtsey, and a smile caht, in first--what are you sarching for?”
”Brandy,” said Archy
”Oh, then, down in the cellar's the place,” said Shackle, laughing, and taking three s from where his wife had placed theo upstairs”
He led the way to a door at the top of so orders to the men to separate, surround the pre twoone, Gurr, to search upstairs, he followed the farmer into a fairly spacious stone cellar, where there was a cider barrel in cos of elder wine and mead
”Sarch away, squire,” said Shackle bluffly, as he placed the ots
”That's elder wine in the little barrel Say, you haven't seen anything of a boy of one after a stray cow I'one over the cliff”
”They're all on board the cutter”
”What? Well, that is good news Full up here Done sarching, sir?”
”Yes,” replied Archy, who began to feelsuspicious of so frank and bluffly hospitable athen Your lads will be as pleased as can be with aof my home-brewed”
As he led the way to the door thein the slightest degree suspicious, and, a fewrefreshed, both officers quite convinced that there was nothing contraband on the premises
”What other houses are there near here?” asked Gurr at last
”Only one The Hoze”
”The Hoze?”
”Yes; Sir Risdon Grae up there?”