The First Gun. 1 7 



for it was his right next to shoot. However, we went 

 down to the smithy at the inn, to take counsel of the 

 blacksmith, a man of knowledge and a trusty friend. 

 ' Aha ! ' said he, ' it's not the first time I've made a 

 ramrod. There's a piece of lancewood in the store 

 overhead which I keep on purpose ; it's as tough as 

 a bow they make carriage-shafts of it ; you shall 

 have a better rod than was ever fitted to a Joe 

 Manton.' So we took him down some pippins, and 

 he set to work on it that evening. 



