The townsfolk of Harwich, in particular, had hung out every scrap of bunting they could find, besides erecting half a dozen triumphal arches, which by their taste and magnificence were calculated to leave the most favourable impression in the Sovereign's mind.
The first of these arches, bearing the inscription _God Save King William, Defender of our Faith and Liberty_, was erected on the London road, a dozen paces beyond the Fish and Anchor Inn, Captain Barker having refused the landlord--who desired to build the arch right in front of his inn-door--permission to set up any pole or support against the privet hedge.

In fact, he and Captain Runacles had sworn very heartily to sit indoors, pull down their blinds and withhold their countenances from the usurper.
Nature, however, which regards neither the majesty of kings nor the indignation of their subjects, made frustrate this unamiable design.
At twenty minutes past four that afternoon a hiveful of Captain Barker's bees took it into their heads to swarm.
It was a warm afternoon, and the little man sat in his library composing a letter to Mr.John Ray, of Cambridge University, whose forthcoming _Historia Plantarum_ he believed himself to be enriching with one or two suggestions on hibernation.

Narcissus Swiggs was down at the Fish and Anchor drinking King William's health.
Tristram, who was supposed to be at work clipping the privet hedge around the apiarium, was engaged in the summer-house, at the far end of it, upon business of his own.
This business--the nature of which shall be explained hereafter-- completely engrossed him.

Nor did he even hear the restless hum of the bees at the mouth of the hive, ten paces away, nor the noisy bustle of the drones.

It was only when the swarm poured out upon the air with a whir of wings and, darkening for an instant the sunny doorway of the summer-house, sailed over the yew hedge towards the road, that Tristram leapt to his feet and ran at full speed towards the pavilion.
"The bees have swarmed!" he called out, thrusting his head in at the library window.
Captain Barker dropped his pen, bounced up, and came rushing out by the front-door.
"Where ?" "Down towards the road." Years had not tamed the little hunchback's agility.