"Staff! never mind your staff--the man'll be gone!"

"But I can't do nothing without my staff--can I, William, and John,
and Charles Jake? No; for there's the king's royal crown a-painted
on en in yaller and gold, and the lion and the unicorn, so as when
I raise en up and hit my prisoner't is made a lawful blow thereby.
I wouldn't 'tempt to take up a man without my staff--no, not I. If
I hadn't the law to gie me courage, why, instead o' my taking him
up he might take up me!"

"Now, I'm a king's man myself, and can give you authority enough
for this," said the formidable person in cinder gray. "Now then,
all of ye, be ready. Have ye any lanterns?"

"Yes; have ye any lanterns? I demand it," said the constable.

"And the rest of you able-bodied--"

"Able-bodied men--yes--the rest of ye," said the constable.

"Have you some good stout staves and pitchforks--"

"Staves and pitchforks--in the name o' the law. And take 'em in
yer hands and go in quest, and do as we in authority tell ye."

Thus aroused, the men prepared to give chase. The evidence
was, indeed, though circumstantial, so convincing that but little
argument was needed to show the shepherd's guests that, after what
they had seen, it would look very much like connivance if they did