But theer, I don't mind if my missus don't object.

You won't mind, old gal, 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 them doing it, that's all," cried Mrs Shackle, ruffling 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 must say it's very rude." "Pray, forgive 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 came back in her face as the farmer said,-- "It's all right, missus; they're obliged to do it.

Where will you begin first--what are you sarching for ?" "Brandy," said Archy.
"Oh, then, down in the cellar's the place," said Shackle, laughing, and taking three mugs from where his wife had placed them.

"If it had been for silks and laces, I should have said go upstairs." He led the way to a door at the top of some stone steps.
"One moment," said Archy, and, giving orders to the men to separate, surround the premises, and search the outbuildings, then stationing two more at the doors, and taking one, Gurr, to search upstairs, he followed the farmer into a fairly spacious stone cellar, where there was a cider barrel in company with two of ale, and little kegs of elder wine and mead.
"Sarch away, squire," said Shackle bluffly, as he placed the mugs on the floor and turned the wooden spigots.
"That's elder wine in the little barrel.

Say, you haven't seen anything of a boy of mine in your travels?
My lad and one of the men have gone after a stray cow.