I bade them, angrily enough, unhand me and let me go by, as I was an honest citizen, and pressed on an errand to Cheapside.

At this they laughed, and said that was what every man they caught vowed, and since they did not like the looks of me, I must away with them to see what their captain would think of me.
I protested in vain that I was in urgent haste; they laughed over again, and had me away to a tavern hard by, where, said they, their captain lodged and would see me anon.
All this time the minutes were flying, and I was at my wits' end what to do.

It seemed to me wisest, if I could, to humour them, if perchance they might be cajoled to let me go.

But when, after waiting half-an- hour, the captain did not appear, I felt I must do something, or give up hope of reaching the ship in time.

So I beckoned the leader of the band to me.
"Friend," said I, as civilly as I could, "indeed I am not the man you take me for; I am a sailor, bound to a merchant vessel, which in half- an-hour is to sail on the tide for sea--" "A sailor!" quoth he, "nay, by my body, thou'rt a soldier now, my lad, and a brave one to boot.