44 LIFE OF MYTTON. 



Stuff as this." Some of the household now began to 

 fight a little shy, but the butler, hearing the noise, 

 came out at once and ordered the sturdy mendicant off 

 the place, threatening to, if he did not actually, send 

 for the constables. But, in the interim, imprudently 

 venturing to put his hand on the beggar's shoulder, 

 Mytton sent him reeling, as he did one or two more 

 of the men who came to their superior's assistance. 

 They then let the dogs loose, when he at once rushed 

 off to the bear, who more readily recognised her 

 master, and, released from her chains, raised herself 

 on her haunches in his defence. This let out the 

 secret, as none but Mytton would have dared to have 

 done so much with Nell, as she was called ; and often 

 afterwards, greatly to the butler's and the other ser- 

 vants' annoyance, would the small-beer story be told 

 against them. Then, again, during harvest-time, 

 Mytton went, in the garb of a countryman, to Jones 

 at the Queen's Head, at Oswestry, and asked for 

 work. The terms being agreed to at so much a 

 week for the job, the master stood a pot of strong 

 beer to bind the bargain, and then the new hand 

 quickly called for another, which he seasoned with 

 brandy. It, of course, ended in his getting very 

 riotous, and, when just about to thrash the landlord, 



